ANTIQUE 19thC SWISS 18k GOLD & ENAMEL SNUFF BOX, GUIDON, GIDE & BLONDET c.1800
19th Century Swiss 18k gold snuff box, the lid set with a marquise shaped panel delicately hand painted depicting holly mother and child surrounded by an engraved laurel leaf boarder and a large boarder with ovals and arrows. Engine-turned decoration on lid, sides and base, applied with dark blue translucent enamel, within light blue boarders and navettes.
Hallmarked with crowned maker mark GGB (Guidon, Gide & Blondet Fils, Geneva, 1801-1804), enamelled by Abraham Lissignol.
Reference Number: A6413
DESCRIPTION
Antique early-19th Century Swiss 18k gold snuff box, the lid set with a marquise shaped panel delicately hand painted depicting holly mother and child surrounded by an engraved laurel leaf boarder and a large boarder with ovals and arrows. Engine-turned decoration on lid, sides and base, applied with dark blue translucent enamel, within light blue boarders and navettes. Hallmarked with crowned maker mark GGB (Guidon, Gide & Blondet fils, Geneva, 1801-1804), enamelled by Abraham Lissignol.
The snuff box is stamped by the firm of Guidon, Gide et Blondet who were active in Geneva between 1801 and 1804. The formal closure of the Geneva firm of Guidon, Rémond, Gide & Co. on 1 January 1801 was followed by a division of the partners who, on the same day, opened on the one hand, Rémond, Lamy & Co. and on the other, Guidon Gide & Blondet.
The marks of all three firms are to be found on the best Geneva gold and enamel snuff boxes of the period, such as a snuff box depicting Carlos IV of Spain and his consort Maria Luisa of Parma being welcomed to Barcelona on 1 September 1802 (sold 3 July 2012 at Sotheby’s). It was rare to record such a precise event on a Geneva box which also meant that it gave independent confirmation of the date of the mark.
The enamel is probably by Jean-Abraham Lissignol (1749-1819), known as Pére Lissignol to distinguish him from his son Abraham who was also an enameller in Geneva; Pére Lissignol was trained by Jean-Marc Roux. As well as painting plaques for snuff boxes, he also supplied workshops with portrait miniatures for watch cases and boxes. He appears to have specialised in allegorical subjects particularly those including plump cherubs. A box in the Patek Philippe Museum shows such a scene identified as the allegory of The Arts and Nature. In 1806, Père Lissignol wrote eloquently to the Paris authorities (Geneva then being occupied by France) suggesting that the Imperial Court should buy enameled trinkets to encourage the failing trade in Geneva, just as they had bought Lyons silk to help that market recover (Geneva Archives).
CONDITION
In Excellent Condition - No Damage.
SIZE
Height: 2cm
Width: 8 x 6cm
Weight: 84.4g