Snuffbox thumbnail 1
Snuffbox thumbnail 2
+2
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Gold, Silver and Mosaics, Room 72, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Galleries

Snuffbox

ca. 1750 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Germany (made)

The cover of this box is in the shape of a scallop shell, while the base is a different, stylized shell form. The gold mounts are also chased with shells. The stonecutting suggests it was made in Germany, however the gold chasing could possibly be English. Many goldsmiths working in London at the time were of German origin.

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
Containers
Personal Accessories
Object type
Snuffbox
Materials and techniques
Carved agate and chased gold
Agate
Gold
Carving
Chasing
Brief description
Gold-mounted Egyptian jasper snuffbox; probably Germany, ca.1750
Physical description
A gold-mounted agate snuffbox, the cover carved as a scallop shell. The mounts are chased with pilasters and rocaille.
Dimensions
  • Length: 7.7cm
  • Width: 6.1cm
  • Height: 1.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
No marks
Gallery label
  • 3. Shell-shaped snuffbox, about 1750 Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.398-2008(16/11/2016)
  • Shell-shaped snuffbox About 1750 Probably Germany Carved agate and gold Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.398-2008(2009)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: Sotheby's, London, lot. 164, December 13, 1976. S. J. Phillips, London, 1983.
Subjects depicted
Scallop Shell
Pilasters
Rocaille
Shell (Motif)
Summary
The cover of this box is in the shape of a scallop shell, while the base is a different, stylized shell form. The gold mounts are also chased with shells. The stonecutting suggests it was made in Germany, however the gold chasing could possibly be English. Many goldsmiths working in London at the time were of German origin.



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
  • Truman, Charles.The Gilbert collection of gold boxes, Vol. I. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. 64, pp. 188-9. ISBN.0875871623
  • Schroder, Timothy. Gold boxes : from the Gilbert collection : an exhibition, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 19864
Other numbers
  • GB 62 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.419 - 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.398-2008

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

Record createdJune 19, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O156477/snuffbox-unknown/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest