M. FORD CREECH ANTIQUES & FINE ARTS 

 

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ENAMEL ON COPPER WALNUT-FORM BONBONNIERE

England, c1765

 

    

 

 

 

The ovoid box flatted on the top and bottom, modeled and painted as a dimensional tan walnut with brown veining,

opening to a shaped speckled gray interior

 

Condition : Excellent with expected small scratches and 3 very minor short cracks to one section emanating from the mount;

a small surface nick in the other section (all visible in the above images)

 

1-5/8” High x 2” Long

 

SOLD

 

#6320

 

Please Inquire

 

 

 

 

 

Most are familiar with snuff boxes.  Sniffing snuff was the original method of taking tobacco,

first used by the American Indians,the substance being

brought back to Europe by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage (1494-96) to the New World. 

It was immediately popular among the Spanish and French, and brought into England with the return of Charles II in 1660. 

It was a substance for the aristocrat, and particularly popular in court circles. 

All ladies in Queen Anne's court followed her passion of snuff-taking,

and Queen Charlotte (wife of George III) was known as "Snuffy Charlotte", due to her very frequent use. 

Her son, George IV, changed his snuff according to the time of day,

and had a storage room set aside in each of his palaces for his boxes.

 

However, unlike snuff, I am often asked about bonbonnieres, and the purpose of these quite small boxes

  The earliest bonbonnieres can be traced back more than 300 years - popular first on the Continent,

and introduced into Scotland by the time of Mary Queen of Scot's

(an extension of the interchange between France and Scotland at that time). 

Amongst wealthy aristocrats, small boxes of sweets - each holding only a few confections -

were given to celebrate birthdays, christenings, and marriages.  

The earliest sweets would have been dry and rather hard confections known as "comfits"

(sugared nuts, cloves and seeds) and diamond form sugar "lozenges"

In the 17th and 18th centuries, sugar was quite costly -

even its shipment having to come by boat from the faraway Caribbean islands. 

Thus so were the containers costly - sometimes made of gold, precious stones, crystals, or porcelain.  

Actually, even owning a bonbonniere indicated a person as one of wealth

 

  In Italy, bonbonnieres were traditionally given as wedding gifts,

each enclosing five sugared almonds, representing fertility, health, wealth, happiness and longevity,

as well as the bittersweet life of a married couple. 

Further, in the 18th century,  everyone had very "bad breath"

The sugar-coated seeds and nuts contained in bonbonnieres were sucked to disguise this fault.

 

Bonbonnieres were generally made in enamel on metal, in porcelain with metal mounts,

and some exquisite and very expensive examples in gold. 

A Russian jeweled and enameled gold bonbonniere by Fabergé sold at Christies in 2006 for $411,864.00. 

 There are also a few in silver.  Some glass examples are also known - but rare due to their fragility. 

The concepts for these boxes are often quite whimsical and intricate. 

Some are set with small portraits or landscapes and precious stones - most particularly the gold examples. 

The English were particularly good at fashioning whimsical animal forms in enamel on copper.

 

 

 


 

Also see :

 

Good South Staffordshire Enamel on Copper Bonbonniere

England, c1765

South Staffordshire Enamel on Copper Walnut-Form Bonbonniere

England, c1765

18th cContinental Silver-Mounted Enamel Snuff Box

In the Manner of Julian Berthe

 

 

 

For more silver boxes & objects of vertu, please click below :

 

https://www.mfordcreech.com/silver.html#SILVER_BOXES

 

 

 


 

 

We welcome and encourage all inquiries regarding our stock.  We will make every attempt to answer any questions you might have.

 

For information, call (901) 761-1163 or (901) 827-4668,

or

Email : mfcreech@bellsouth.net  or  mfordcreech@gmail.com
 
 

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M. Ford Creech Antiques & Fine Arts / 581 South Perkins Road /  Memphis, TN 38117 / USA /  Wed.-Sat. 11-6, or by appointment

 


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South Staffordshire Enamel on Copper Walnut-Form Bonbonniere, England, c1765