Pale brown chalcedony, applied with mottled chalcedony, bloodstone and jaspers set in a gold snuffbox with onyx thumbpiece, Gabriel-Raoul Morel (active 1797–1832), Paris, 1819–32, marked, hardstone panel possibly by Giovanni Morelli, Rome, about 1810.

A shaped oval, gold-mounted hardstone snuffbox, the body of pale chalcedony, the thumbpiece onyx, the cover applied with various hardstones (including mottled chalcedony, bloodstone and jaspers) forming The Falls of Tivoli in Rome

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Gabriel Raoul Morel was a prolific Parisian goldsmith, noted for the range of materials he worked with and his rather large, unusual format of snuffboxes – including one with Florentine commessi. A number of boxes by Morel with Napoleonic connections have survived, suggesting that he may have been a supplier to the court.

The particularly chunky and inaesthetic form of the body could be explained as a need to match the irregular shape of the lid, probably contemporary. This would have undoubtedly been a special commission, especially with the much celebrated view of Tivoli favoured in bespoke touristic souvenirs like micromosaics. The identity of ‘Morelli F. in Roma via della Scrofa N.8’ remains a mystery, as it could be Giovanni Morelli (A Piedmontese stone carver working with Giacomo Raffaelli, see Massinelli, 2000, cat. 65, p. 156), Giuseppe Morelli (He is recorded working on stone, in Rome: ‘lavori in ogni genere di pietra’ Al Foro Trajano, no. 4 e 5.’ P. 132, Elenco di tutti I pittori scultori architetti miniatori incisori in gemme e in rame scultori in metallo e mosaicisti… da Enrico de Keller, Roma, 1830.), or even Niccolo Morelli (1775-1831), all stone carvers in the early 19th century.
Provenance: S. J. Phillips, London.

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.

LOAN:GILBERT.445-2008