Sunday, March 18, 2012

Mastery of Design: The Ducrollay Gold, Ruby and Diamond Snuff Box, 1755

Snuff Box, 1755
France
Jean Ducrollay's Workshop
The Victoria & Albert Museum



Lavishly adorned with rubies, diamonds and varicolored gold, this snuff box was made by Jean Ducrollay's workshop around 1755. Ducrollay was one of the most esteemed  craftsmen of gold boxes in Paris.

The use of rubies and diamonds with colored gold was quite rare at the time for snuff boxes.  This style was a specialty of the Ducrollay workshop. The box is chased on each side with a spray of flowers against a sunburst.  Meanwhile, the cover is set with flowers and foliage in rubies and diamonds.  The diamonds are set in silver and the rubies in gold.








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