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Snuffbox

1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Strachan, Alexander James (maker)
Mesure, Anthony (watchmaker)
Place of origin
London (made)
London (made)

One of the most productive early nineteenth century London box makers, Alexander James Strachan produced boxes for the royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge and Rundell and a number of retail outlets. The design and decoration of the box was likely inspired by Swiss examples. The watch was made by London chronometer maker Anthony Mesure (or Measure) around 1800.

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

Categories
Metalwork
Personal Accessories
Containers
Clocks & Watches
Enamels
Object type
Snuffbox
Materials and techniques
Enamelled engine-turned gold and pearls
Gold
Enamel
Pearl
Enamelling
Engine Turning
Brief description
A jewelled and enamelled snuffbox and watch; Alexander James Strachan, London, 1800, the watch by Anthony Mesure, London, ca. 1800
Physical description
An oval, jewelled, enamelled gold combined snuffbox and watch, the box painted in translucent blue, the cover bordered with split pearls.
Dimensions
  • Length: 8.4cm
  • Width: 5.8cm
  • Height: 3.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Mark of Alexander James Strachan, goldsmith registered in London, September 21, 1799-between 1842 and 1850 (In the base)
  • English standard mark, a crown, for gold used from 1798 onward for 18 carat and 1844 onward for 18 and 22 carat (In the base and on the right side of the bezel)
  • English standard mark '18' for 18 carat gold, 1798-1974 (In the base and on the right side of the bezel)
  • London assay office mark, a leopard's head crowned, 1756-1821 (In the base)
  • London date letter 'E', May 29, 1800-May 28, 1801 (In the base)
  • English duty mark for gold, England, 1798-1821 (In the base)
  • Engraved 'Anth. Mesure London 1070' (On the watch movement)
Gallery label
  • 9. Snuffbox with watch, 1800 Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.355-2008(16/11/2016)
  • Snuffbox with watch 1800 London, England; mark of Alexander James Strachan (1774–1850), watch by Anthony Mesure (active 1799–1851), movement no. 1070 Enamelled gold and pearls Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.355-2008(2009)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: D. S. Lavender, London.
Production
The box made in 1800, the watch made ca. 1800.
Subjects depicted
Rosettes
Ribbon
Summary
One of the most productive early nineteenth century London box makers, Alexander James Strachan produced boxes for the royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge and Rundell and a number of retail outlets. The design and decoration of the box was likely inspired by Swiss examples. The watch was made by London chronometer maker Anthony Mesure (or Measure) around 1800.

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. 24, p. 57. ISBN. 0961039809.
  • Truman, Charles.The Gilbert collection of gold boxes, Vol. I. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. 111, pp. 320-1. ISBN.0875871623
  • Schroder, Timothy. Gold boxes : from the Gilbert collection : an exhibition, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986 12
Other numbers
  • GB 40 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.401 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • 1996.791.1 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • MIN 26 - Arthur Gilbert Number
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.355-2008

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Record createdJune 19, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O156462/snuffbox-strachan-alexander-james/
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