The snuffbox features a gold body of a rectangular shape with chamfered and concave vertical facets, with sky-blue panels, and a hinged lid. The gold surface of the body is treated in the “taille d’épargne” (champlevé engraving) technique: deeper lines of a complex neoclassical pattern are filled with enamel, while thin lines are left clean, then covered with a layer of translucent enamel flux to even out the relief. In the center of the lid, between images of symmetrically arranged ancient figures with urns, there is an oval enamel insert depicting, in the “en sépia” (in sepia) technique imitating a cameo, a profile bust of an ancient philosopher or writer, enclosed in a gold mount with an ornament of gold and white, blue, and green enamel between relief gold ovals. Under the lid, there is a tobacco compartment with marks on the mirror-polished surface of the base. In the center of the bottom panel of the base with an ornament in the form of ancient vases, garlands, leaves, and branches, there is an image of Athena with a spear and a shield in an oval frame. The side surface is decorated with masquerons, garlands, and foliate scrolls. On the chamfered facets, there are images of gold vases and flowers on a field of blue enamel within a golden border. The lid, the bottom, and the side panels are decorated along the perimeter by a double border: repeating the framing of the insert with the bust and a track with a regular floral and foliate ornament of gold and dark blue enamel.

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