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Snuffbox

ca. 1828 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Inside the cover of this box is a half-length portrait miniature of Sir William Drummond (1770-1828). Educated at Oxford, Drummond was appointed envoy to the court of Naples in 1801. In 1803 he became ambassador to the Ottoman Porte (Constantinople) and received the Turkish Order of the Crescent, which is shown on the left lapel of his cloak. He also wears the badge for the Neapolitan Order of Saint Januarius, awarded to him upon his return to Naples in 1806.

This is made up of a variety of hardstones or pietre dure. Hardstone mosaic techniques emerged in Florence, where Ferdinand de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, founded the Grand Ducal Workshop (Opificio delle Pietre Dure) in 1588. It still operates today under the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage.

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.


Object details

Object type
Materials and techniques
Inlaid lapis lazuli, bloodstone, malachite, agate, chalcedony, quartz, foil with glazed ivory miniature and chased gold mounts
Brief description
Rectangular, gold-mounted hardstone snuffbox; Giovanni Andrea Mascelli, Rome, ca.1828
Physical description
Rectangular, gold-mounted hardstone snuffbox, the cover composed of eleven plaques of bloodstone and straited and foiled agates, the walls composed of malachite and the interior of the lid set with a miniature of Sir William Drummond.
Dimensions
  • Length: 7.7cm
  • Width: 6.1cm
  • Height: 1.6cm
  • Height: 30mm (Note: 26.05.2022 J. Puisto)
  • Width: 108mm (Note: 26.05.2022 J. Puisto)
  • Depth: 96mm (Note: 26.05.2022 J. Puisto)
Marks and inscriptions
Engraved inside 'Fratelli Mascelli a Roma' and 'Right Honourable Sir William Drummond 1828'
Gallery label
  • 2. Snuffbox with specimen hardstone panels, about 1828 Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.440-2008(16/11/2016)
  • Snuffbox with specimen hardstone panels About 1828 Inside the cover is a half-length portrait miniature of Sir William Drummond (1770–1828). Educated in Oxford, Drummond was appointed envoy to the court of Naples in 1801. In 1803 he became ambassador to the Ottoman Porte (Constantinople) and received the Turkish Order of the Crescent, which is shown on the left lapel of his cloak. He also wears the badge for the Neapolitan Order of Saint Januarius, awarded to him upon his return to Naples in 1806. Rome, Italy; Giovanni Andrea Mascelli (1796–1870) Lapis lazuli, bloodstone, malachite, agate, chalcedony, quartz, foil, glazed ivory miniature and gold mounts Engraved inside ‘Fratelli Mascelli a Roma’ and ‘Right Honourable Sir William Drummond 1828’ Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.440-2008(2009)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: S.J Phillips, London, 1980.

Historical significance: Sir William Drummond (1770-1828) was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and became Member of Parliament for St. Mawes, Cornwall in 1795. In 1801 he was sworn to the Privy Council and appointed envoy extraordinary to the Court of Naples and in 1803 appointed Ambassador to Constantinople. He retired in 1809 and died in Rome in 1828.
Historical context
The brothers Giovanni Andrea (1796-1870) and Giovacchino Mascelli had a goldsmith's shop at 90/91 Piazza di Spagna, Rome.
Summary
Inside the cover of this box is a half-length portrait miniature of Sir William Drummond (1770-1828). Educated at Oxford, Drummond was appointed envoy to the court of Naples in 1801. In 1803 he became ambassador to the Ottoman Porte (Constantinople) and received the Turkish Order of the Crescent, which is shown on the left lapel of his cloak. He also wears the badge for the Neapolitan Order of Saint Januarius, awarded to him upon his return to Naples in 1806.

This is made up of a variety of hardstones or pietre dure. Hardstone mosaic techniques emerged in Florence, where Ferdinand de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, founded the Grand Ducal Workshop (Opificio delle Pietre Dure) in 1588. It still operates today under the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage.

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.
Bibliographic references
  • Habsburg-Lothringen, Géza von. Gold boxes from the collection of Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert. R. & A. Gilbert, 1983. 125 p., ill. Cat no. 6, pp. 27-8. ISBN.0961039809.
  • Truman, Charles.The Gilbert collection of gold boxes, Vol. I. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1991, cat. no. 147, pp. 420-2. ISBN.0875871623
  • Massinelli, Anna Maria with contributions by Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel. Hardstones: The Gilbert Collection. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. in association with The Gilbert Collection, 2000. 329 p., ill. Cat. no. 66, p.157. ISBN 0856675105.
  • Schroder, Timothy. Gold boxes : from the Gilbert collection : an exhibition, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986 19
Other numbers
  • GB 28 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.392 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.440-2008

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Record createdJune 19, 2008
Record URL
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