tabatière ovale en or et émail par Charles Le Bastier, Paris, 1778

émaillée de paysages d'hiver en sépia et vert encadrés de guirlandes, poinçons de charge et de décharge de J.B Fouache, intérieur numéroté 930



of generous oval form, the lid, base and sides with wintry landscapes picked out in sepia and green on an opalescent ground, narrow sky blue enamel borders enclosing garlands on a sablé ground, charge and export discharge marks of J.B. Fouache, the interior base numbered: 930

An elegant and satisfying box. There are small enamel losses on the garland borders, some scratching on base and lid, some undulation to enamel of lid and touching up of brown enamel at the bottom of sprig on base and lid.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Charles Le Bastier, son of a Paris mercer of the same name, was apprenticed on 3 October 1738 at the age of 14, to Gabriel Vougny, marchand-orfèvre-joaillier. With the sponsorship of Jean Moynat, himself a noted gold box maker, Le Bastier became master goldsmith on 20 December 1754. He worked from the same premises in the rue Thévenot, near the rue St-Denis, until last recorded in 1783. Le Bastier was a successful and prolific maker of gold boxes who also supplied other retailers such as Jean-François Garand and Grancher of Du Petit Dunkerque, whose name or shopname appear engraved on the rims of several of  Le Bastier's boxes. In the special tax list of 1774, he was listed 9th in order of the importance of his business. Since a number of Le Bastier's boxes survive in various collections (most notably in the Louvre and the Thurn und Taxis Museum, Regensburg), it is possible to trace the progression of his work from the earliest silver boxes with coloured gold ornament through a series of richly chased but comparatively plain gold boxes to the almost immediately recognisable gold and enamel boxes of his maturity. The present box is in a style more usually associated with J.J. Barrière (vide two boxes with similar landscapes, dated 1779, A. Kenneth Snowman, Gold Boxes of Europe, Woodbridge, 1990, pls. 472/3). The two 1778 boxes by Le Bastier, however, which follow this one numerically are both inset with painted enamel plaques on grounds painted with winter branches (931 - Sotheby's London, 28 October 1985, lot 243 and 932 - Imperial Collections, Lepke Berlin, 6 November 1928, lot 237).