A micromosaic and gold cagework snuff box, the panels probably by Filipo Puglieschi, Roma, circa 1810

rectangular, the panels representing a lion ferociously attacking a horse on the lid, on the base a leopard attacking a baby goat, the sides with delicate flower borders, the box, probably late 19th century with contemporary French gold control mark for 1838-1888 (charençon)

Very spectacular when held. The lid and base panels were probably mounted in the late 19th century. They are fantastic apart from a hair crack to base panel in sky and small flaw to top left corner of lid panel. The lid doesn’t shut properly at left corner.
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The base panel on this box can be associated with another micromosaic plaque of a leopard devouring a baby goat attributed to Filippo Puglieschi (now at the Victoria & Albert Museum, J. H. Gabriel, The Gilbert Collection, Micromosaics, 2000, fig. 45). Puglieschi was active in Rome during the first half of the 19th century and seems to have enjoyed great success: in 1805-1806, he is recorded as having received a wholesale commission from a Northern patron for 450 pieces of miniature micromosaic. His amazingly naturalistic representations of animals and birds are particularly arresting; the animal shown here is precisely an Asian leopard, as its spots are larger than the African species. The artist appears to have taken inspiration from the paintings of the Bohemian artist Wenceslaus Peter (1742-1829) and they seem to have known each other as the latter mentioned Puglieschi in a letter to the other celebrated mosaicist Giacomo Raffaelli in 1811. Two paintings with similar subjects by this artist were sold, Christie's London, 9 December 1994, lot 316.

Sir Arthur also acquired a snuff box with similar exquisite micromosaic flower borders on the sides (J. H. Gabriel, op. cit., fig. 15). The panel on the lid is signed Tomaso Calandrelli, who is listed as working in the Vatican workshops about 1825.