Tobacco box with scenes from the life of Christ

The object is composed of twelve parts. The bottom and the wall, the hinge, the lid; the two slides on the lid are of red copper and have engraved decoration and with or without a scene. The two slides on the underside of the bottom are of yellow copper (brass) and have engraved decoration and scenes; the three series of two scenes each on the underside of the box's bottom and on the inside and outside of the lid are cut out in brass, silvered, and engraved. On the outside they are mounted on yellow, on the inside on red fabric. On the inside, a brass plate is fastened to the bottom with six brass screws and nuts. Lid and bottom curve convexly at the sides towards the centre, and are otherwise flat. They end in vertical grooved rims that enclose the wall of the box. The convex parts of the lid and bottom have engraved continuous scroll ornament. The wall has two engraved leaf scrolls extending from the centre to the back. There, the decoration consists of a stylized leaf motif. The three series of two scenes each relate to the life of Christ: the Annunciation (inside lid), the Visitation (inside lid), the Adoration of the Shepherds (top of lid), the Adoration of the Magi (top of lid), the Flight into Egypt (underside box), the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan (underside box). The three small slides have figures taken from the Commedia dell'Arte framed in scroll ornament. The hinge has detached from the lid. One of the four slides has been replaced by a plain plate of thicker cross-section. One screw and one nut are missing. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-KOG-2679; its record gives material recorded as copper (metal), brass (alloy); technique striking (metalworking), silvering, cutting, engraving; measurements height 3.2 cm x width 12.9 cm x depth 5.8 cm. Description translated from the museum's Dutch catalogue text; details are those of this museum object, and how far it represents a wider type has not been independently verified.