Verre églomisé is a relatively rare form of decoration for gold boxes. It involves gilding the back of a glass panel and engraving the gold with a decorative design. The reverse of the glass is then painted and the panels applied to the box over gold or silver foil.

These panels are similar to a set signed by Villar on a box of the same date. They show scenes from the history of Rome and in the corners, allegorical figures representing the four rivers of the Roman Empire. On the cover, the family of the Roman general Coriolanus beseech him to call off his attack on the city. The designs are taken from engravings by Jean-Guillaume Moitte.

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.