19th Century Restauration Snuff Box with Micromosaic

A rectangular marble paperweight with octogonal inlaid micromosaic plate. The plaque depicting a spaniel in a landscape, the trunk os a tree in this left. Depictions of dogs in micro...

Small, rectangular, enamel keepsake box from Limoges. The lid is decorated with a central medallion featuring the profile of an upper-class woman, who was certainly the owner of this...

Napoleon III-period papier-mâché and wood marquetry card box with original key. The lid is richly decorated with a polychromatic bunch of flowers in a central medallion with gilt fra...

Square box of Bresse-blue enamel with gilt bronze mounts. The five sides are composed of convex plates that are decorated with intricate golden arabesques and flower seeds. Enameled ...

The small rectangular silver snuff box, chased with foliage decorations and featuring a hinged back, is set with a detailed micromosaic plaque on top. The plaque depicts a rural land...

Antique silver mounted hardstone snuff box with micromosaic view of St. Peter's Cathedral, Rome. Italy, early 19th century. Dimension: 2.4" W x 1.2" D x .75" H.

A highly attractive and rare floral Grand Tour micromosaic jewelry or trinket box made by Cesare Roccheggiani in Rome, Italy, c. 1875. This is a beautifully detailed micro-mosaic box. The panel in the lid depicts a lush bouquet of spring flowers, including roses, forget-me-nots, daffodils, buttercups and crocus, amongst others. These are described in brightly coloured stone micromosaic inlaid into a black surround, lending the piece wonderful contrast. The more common subjects for similar micro mosaic boxes are architectural views of Rome; floral examples such as this are much harder to find. The panel is mounted in a box gilded in 24 carat gold. Another distinctive feature is the granulated finish around the lid and to the underside of the box: it is most unusual and lends the piece a lovely texture. A hand-painted champlevé enamel frieze wraps around the central body of the gilt metal box, depicting scrolling turquoise vines blooming with red berries along with blue, green and yellow vine leaves. The interior is lined in the original silk and in very good original condition. The maker’s name ‘C. ROCCHEGGIANI ROMA’ is emblazoned in gold to the interior of the lid beneath the motif of a cross surmounted by a crown. The lining of both the lid and body are bordered with a ropetwist detail. The lid closes with hooked clasp, and the hinge is in good condition. Cesare Roccheggiani was one of the most successful mosaicists in the late 19th century in Rome. He probably worked in Michelangelo Barberi’s workshop, and was in all likelihood related to Lorenzo Roccheggiani, a late eighteenth-century master mosaicist at the Vatican whose work included the altarpiece, Crucifixion of St. Peter after Guido Reni, and Nicolo Roccheggiani who worked on the Achilles Shield tabletop commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte, and later gifted to Charles X of France, now in the collection of the Louvre. Cesare Roccheggiani opened his premises on Via Condotti in Rome in 1874, and ran a production workshop including mosaicists, goldsmiths and other craftsmen. He was renowned as a source for fine quality Grand Tour mosaics...

Antique Gold & Enamel Micromosaic Snuff Box An antique snuff box, decorated with a central micro­mosaic panel depicting ruins. The scene is framed by turquoise enamel, with gold-dot...