French boulder opal and gold snuff box
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century, 1819-1838
This 19th-century snuff box features a cut-cornered rectangular construction, composed of various panels of boulder opal set within a gold frame. The box measures 9.1 cm by 5.6 cm by 2.4 cm and has a gross weight of approximately 142 grams.
The design includes an intact hinge on the lid and a decorative metalwork frame. Marks located on the lip of the lid include a French petite guarantie rabbit head assay mark for the period 1819-1838, a stamp indicating '10', and an additional unidentified assay mark. The base panel remains intact, though the base frame is detached. The piece displays general wear to the edges of the frame and metalwork, along with surface wear to the opal panels, which also feature several cracks.
The box serves as an example of 19th-century luxury vanity accessories incorporating geological materials.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Weight
- approx 142 grams
- Material
- Boulder opal, gold
- Dimensions
- 9.1 x 5.6 x 2.4 cm
Technical characteristics
- Marks
- French petite guarantie rabbit head assay mark (1819-1838), stamped 10, unidentified assay mark
Design
- Shape
- cut-cornered rectangular
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.