Lot 359
A SCARCE SCOTTISH PALACE OF HOLYROOD ‘CASTLE TOP’ SNUFF BOX
JAMES NASMYTH, EDINBURGH 1831
Scottish Silver & Applied Arts
Auction: 17 August 2016 from 12:00 BST
Description
the rectangular box with simple reeded sides and engine decoration base, the hinged cover with an engraved scene of the Palace of Holyrood with figures in the fore ground, engraved bottom right ‘M.E.Pitcherski’, the interior of gilded cover engraved ‘Presented to Mr Gustahes Spindler by His Friend JMM 1833’
Dimensions
8cm x 5.2cm x 2cm, weight 2.76oz
Footnote
Note:
Although castle top snuff boxes, card cases and vinaigrettes are standard manufacture with many varied scenes (most commonly civic building, historical castles / houses and historic monuments) examples with Scottish scenes are unusual. These are most commonly the Scott Monument and Abbostford House, both capitalising on the cult and tourism industry of Sir Walter Scott. Examples of Holyrood are rarely recorded but when they are, are more commonly of English production for the Scottish market.
This example is unusual not only being of Scottish manufacture but also being signed. It is unclear whether the signature is of the engraver to the box itself (extremely unusual in Scottish silver) or of the engraver of the original print which the scene is highly likely based.