Snuffbox
1775-1776 (made)
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This elegant box is enamelled in translucent red over an engine-turned background. Engine-turning consists of a pattern created with the aid of a machine, rather than using hand-engraving. It can be carried out in straight or curved lines, allowing a variety of patterns to be produced, using straight-line or circular machines. Although the decoration is carried out with a machine, great skill is required from the operator to ensure that pieces are properly aligned and that an equal amount of pressure is applied. The letters 'LM' are probably a later addition.
As with many other boxes by Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, this box is numbered. The significance of these numbers is not yet known as they do not appear to relate to the date of manufacture.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world’s great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
This snuffbox is temporarily away from our permanent collections and is presented at the exhibition 'The Collection of Maximilian von Goldschmidt Rothschild' at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt (January-June 2023).
As with many other boxes by Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, this box is numbered. The significance of these numbers is not yet known as they do not appear to relate to the date of manufacture.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world’s great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
This snuffbox is temporarily away from our permanent collections and is presented at the exhibition 'The Collection of Maximilian von Goldschmidt Rothschild' at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt (January-June 2023).
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Object details
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| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Enamelled copper with pastes |
| Brief description | Snuffbox with monogram LM in diamonds. Gold, diamonds, enamel. Joseph Etienne-Blerzy, Paris, 1775-76 |
| Physical description | A rectangular, jewelled and enamelled gold snuff box with canted corners, the walls, cover, and base engine-turned and enamelled in translucent red bordered by opaque white, with enamelled fruiting foliage and pilasters hung with swags. To the white border of the cover is applied an interlaced ribbon of rose diamonds and enamelled fruiting foliage; in the centre of the cover is the monogram LM in rose diamonds within a rose diamond circle. |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Max von Goldschmidt-Rothschild Collection, Frankfurt am Main, no.405. Rene Fribourg, sale, Sotheby's, lot 296, October 14, 1963. Henry Ford II, sale, Sotheby's, New York, lot. 23, February, 25, 1978. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S. J. Phillips, London, 1979. A successful banker who married into the Rothschild banking dynasty, Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild was one of the wealthiest individuals in the German Empire. In November 1938, the Nazi mayor of Frankfurt exploited the anti-Semitic violence engulfing the city and forced him to sell his entire art collection to Frankfurt's museums. After the war Maximilian's grandson, who served in the American military, demanded the restitution of the collection. Thanks to archival records kept by the Museum of Applied Arts and the City of Frankfurt, we know that this snuffbox was returned to the family in 1949. This object formed part of the V&A's special provenance display 'Concealed Histories: Uncovering the Story of Nazi Looting' (December 2019 - June 2021) |
| Historical context | Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, one of the most prolific of all French gold box makers, was apprenticed to François-Joachim Aubert on February 27, 1750. After eighteen years he attained the maîtrise on March 12, 1768, with Aubert as his sponsor. His address was in Rue du Grand Hurleur. |
| Summary | This elegant box is enamelled in translucent red over an engine-turned background. Engine-turning consists of a pattern created with the aid of a machine, rather than using hand-engraving. It can be carried out in straight or curved lines, allowing a variety of patterns to be produced, using straight-line or circular machines. Although the decoration is carried out with a machine, great skill is required from the operator to ensure that pieces are properly aligned and that an equal amount of pressure is applied. The letters 'LM' are probably a later addition. As with many other boxes by Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, this box is numbered. The significance of these numbers is not yet known as they do not appear to relate to the date of manufacture. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world’s great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. This snuffbox is temporarily away from our permanent collections and is presented at the exhibition 'The Collection of Maximilian von Goldschmidt Rothschild' at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt (January-June 2023). |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.1029-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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