Swiss Gold Musical Snuff Box
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Embossed with a delightful braided gold design, the two-compartment box features an oval agate key
Key Features
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- Musical snuff boxes such as this one were called carillons à musique
- It is chased and engraved with elaborate swirls of ornate foliage
- The taking of snuff was a highly regarded social ritual among the European elite
- 19th century gold music boxes were highly desired objects of status.
- This extraordinary gold box is a most exquisite and rare objet d'art.
- Circa 1820
- 3 1/4" wide x 2" deep x 7/8" high
Item Details
- Width:
3 1/4" Inches - Height:
7/8 Inches - Depth:
2" Inches - Period:
19th Century - Origin:
Switzerland
This special and important Swiss gold music box is chased and engraved with a set of musical instruments surrounded by elaborate swirls of ornate foliage. Embossed with a delightful braided gold design, the two-compartment box features an exquisite oval agate key, which opens a recessed lock in the base of the box. Such a box would have been a prized possession and would have been able to fit neatly into a gentleman's waistcoat pocket.
Ingenious miniature portable devices, musical snuff boxes such as this one were called carillons à musique. Highly desired objects of status and crafted primarily in Switzerland, they influenced the development and popularity of all music box production in the 19th century.
Circa 1820
3 1/4" wide x 2" deep x 7/8" high
Ingenious miniature portable devices, musical snuff boxes such as this one were called carillons à musique. Highly desired objects of status and crafted primarily in Switzerland, they influenced the development and popularity of all music box production in the 19th century.
Circa 1820
3 1/4" wide x 2" deep x 7/8" high
