Snuffbox
ca. 1860 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This agate snuffbox is set with diamonds to evoke the detail of the huntsman's eyes and buttons. The dog’s head is the detachable lid of the scent bottle. Objects like this resemble the porcelain toys made at the Chelsea and Girl with a Swing factories in England in the mid-18th century. This box once belonged to the Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso (1873–1921).
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.
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 | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Chased and pierced gold, carved agate, set diamonds and <i>champlevé</i> enamel |
| Brief description | A jewelled, gold-mounted agate snuffbox and scent bottle, mid-19th century with earlier elements |
| Physical description | A jeweled, gold-mounted agate snuffbox and scent bottle carved in the form of a seated huntsman wearing a tricorn hat, jacket, breeches, and boots, with diamond eyes and buttons in silver settings, beside his dog, with detachable head, diamond eyes and a champlevé enamel collar, probably c.1860, the agate lid with a pierced and chased gold mount, possibly c.1760 |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | 5. Combined snuffbox and scent bottle,
in the form of a hunter and dog
About 1760
Probably London, England
Carved agate with chased and enamelled gold mounts, set with diamonds
Formerly in the collection of the Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso (1873–1921)
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.386-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Enrico Caruso, sale, Parke-Bernet, New York. Lot.234, March 15-16, 1949.. Christie's, London. Lot 193., December 18, 1973.. Christie's, Geneva. Lot 118., May 8, 1979.. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This agate snuffbox is set with diamonds to evoke the detail of the huntsman's eyes and buttons. The dog’s head is the detachable lid of the scent bottle. Objects like this resemble the porcelain toys made at the Chelsea and Girl with a Swing factories in England in the mid-18th century. This box once belonged to the Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso (1873–1921). 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 |
|
| Other numbers |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.386:1, 2-2008 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
