A HIDDEN PORTRAIT JACOBITE ENAMEL SNUFF BOX
MID-18TH CENTURY
£9,375
Scottish Silver & Applied Arts
Auction: 14 August 2019 at 11:00 BST
Description
the circular box with enamel tartan decoration, the hinged cover opens to reveal a plain interior, the hidden double lid opens to reveal a finely enamelled portrait of Prince Charles Edward Stuart in tartan jacket with orders of The Garter and Thistle decorations, white cockade and blue bonnet
Dimensions
73mm across
Footnote
Provenance: The Scottish Sale, Bonham's Edinburgh 24th - 26th August 2005 lot 746
Note: Hidden portrait snuff boxes such as this are amongst the most iconic Jacobite works of art. While they are a well recorded type, they are rare in any form. This example is in particularly good condition and finely enamelled. The portrait is a variant of the famous Sir Robert Strange example which likely date this piece to circa 1750.
For a similar example but with a pasted engraved print on the interior of lid see Lyon & Turnbull 'Scottish Silver & Applied Art' 17th August 2016, lot 496 (sold for £10,000 hammer).