Snuffbox
1755-56 (marked)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This box, richly decorated with rubies, diamonds and varicoloured gold, was made by Jean Ducrollay's workshop. He was one of the most esteemed gold box makers in Paris. Born in 1709, he was apprenticed to Jean Drais and became a master in 1734. Ducrollay is recorded in the royal inventories as making boxes for the court of Louis XV, one of which was presented to the Ambassador of the Holy Roman Empire in 1757. An album containing designs from Ducrollay's workshop is now in the collection of the V&A (museum no. E.897-1988) and includes another design using precious stones and varicoloured gold.
The use of rubies and diamonds with coloured gold is comparatively rare and may have been a speciality of the Ducrollay workshop. Coloured gold is produced by the addition of another metal - copper and silver produce respectively red or green gold, other shades are created by varying the composition of the alloy.
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.
The use of rubies and diamonds with coloured gold is comparatively rare and may have been a speciality of the Ducrollay workshop. Coloured gold is produced by the addition of another metal - copper and silver produce respectively red or green gold, other shades are created by varying the composition of the alloy.
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 | |
Materials and techniques | Chased gold, rubies and diamonds set in silver |
Brief description | Snuffbox with sprays of flowers against sunburst. Gold, silver, diamonds, rubies. Jean Ducrollay, Paris, 1755-56 |
Physical description | A rectangular, jewelled, varicoloured-gold snuffbox, chased on each side with a spray of flowers against a sunburst, the cover is set with flowers and foliage in rubies and diamonds.The diamonds are set in silver and the rubies in gold. |
Dimensions |
|
Gallery label |
|
Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Object history | Provenance Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1989. |
Summary | This box, richly decorated with rubies, diamonds and varicoloured gold, was made by Jean Ducrollay's workshop. He was one of the most esteemed gold box makers in Paris. Born in 1709, he was apprenticed to Jean Drais and became a master in 1734. Ducrollay is recorded in the royal inventories as making boxes for the court of Louis XV, one of which was presented to the Ambassador of the Holy Roman Empire in 1757. An album containing designs from Ducrollay's workshop is now in the collection of the V&A (museum no. E.897-1988) and includes another design using precious stones and varicoloured gold. The use of rubies and diamonds with coloured gold is comparatively rare and may have been a speciality of the Ducrollay workshop. Coloured gold is produced by the addition of another metal - copper and silver produce respectively red or green gold, other shades are created by varying the composition of the alloy. 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.328-2008 |
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 19, 2008 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest