Snuff box
Probably Paris, France
1850-1900
Measurements
1-3/8 in x 2-1/2 in x 1-7/8 in
Materials
Enameled porcelain and gilded brass alloy
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation, anonymous loan
Accession Number
2011.37
Inscription
An underglaze blue interlaced mark with a "Z" date-letter in the center is on the outside bottom of the box.
Condition Notes
The metal appliqué of a footed bowl on the lid has lost pieces from both sides. The metal frame was probably gilded and subsequently cleaned off. The thick enamel surface, especially the lid, shows some discoloration with age.
Provenance
Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp
Comments
This octagonal snuff box is brightly painted with a floral arrangement in a footed bowl or compote atop a pedestal on the lid. The bowl is an applied piece of metal, the ends of which have been lost. Eight small panels with flowers and birds decorate the shallow sides. The enameled panels are mounted within a brass alloy frame that was likely gilded originally.
The maker’s mark on the outside bottom recalls those of the Sèvres royal porcelain factory (established 1756). However, the uneven quality of the blue interlaced lines and the “z” date-letter in the center raise questions about its authenticity. Sèvres porcelain has been copied and faked for a long time. This box may be another example.
