Vermeil snuffbox, early 18th century

Oval box with hinged lid depicting on the top a scene combining nature and architecture. In the foreground, a woman sits under a tree in an idyllic garden or park surrounded by arcades, neo-classical monuments, a fountain and trees. In the background, a city with multiple bell towers dominates the scene. The lower part is even more astonishing: we find a scene organised between garden, antique monuments and city in the background with a central element that is a water source emerging from an aqueduct flanked by sphinxes. In the foreground, a seated man is playing a wind instrument, watching a figure on horseback wearing a hat and talking to another man walking beside him. This scene is bordered by foliage scrolls which continue around the rim of the frame. Probably German from the XVIIIth century.
Hallmark: swan, French control.
Weight: 90 g. (3.17 oz)