Gold and enamel snuffbox with the painted enamel harbor scene
Gold and enamel snuffbox with the painted enamel harbor scene
Russia, St. Petersburg
Circa 1800
By Pierre Theremin (P. Theremin)
Width: 92 mm
The interior is struck with the maker’s mark “PT” within a rectangle, the town mark of St. Petersburg in the form of crossed anchors dated 1800, and the assay master’s mark of Alexander Yashinkov (1795–1826) as the initials “А.Я” within a rectangle. The rim features two rectangular marks with the letters “ET” and “240”
The rectangular gold snuffbox with canted vertical corners features a hinged cover. The unified decorative motif consists of chevron-guilloché panels beneath translucent blue enamel, enclosed by thin frames and positioned on the bottom and side surfaces. These panels are surrounded by narrow white enamel borders. The top of the cover features a painted enamel scene of a harbor. The miniature depicts livestock being loaded onto a sailing boat. In the background are harbor buildings, a fort with an arch, and a tall lighthouse tower. Moored nearby are sailing vessels with furled sails. The miniature is executed in the style of the 18th-century French marine painter Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714–1789). The canted corners of the snuffbox are decorated with leafy blue enamel elements on gold inserts, set against a white background. The interior surfaces of the snuffbox are mirror-polished.
3523MC274/ДПИ