STYLE: European Silver, Gold Boxes and Ceramics
STYLE: European Silver, Gold Boxes and Ceramics
A JEWELLED TWO-COLOUR GOLD AND ENAMEL PRESENTATION SNUFF BOX, CHARLES COLINS & SÖHNE, HANAU, CIRCA 1894
Auction Closed
November 11, 04:08 PM GMT
Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A JEWELLED TWO-COLOUR GOLD AND ENAMEL PRESENTATION SNUFF BOX, CHARLES COLINS & SÖHNE, HANAU, CIRCA 1894
of rectangular form with wavy sides, the lid centred with a diamond-set cipher below a grand-ducal, ducal or princely crown on translucent blue enamel over wavy engine-turning, within a cut-steel border and chased frame, surrounded by 6 applied rosettes and chased flowers within C-scrolls on a sablé ground, the sides and base engraved with strapwork on a leafy ground, maker's mark, struck: 14, the left rim numbered: 2093, in original silk-lined leather case, with document
10cm., 4 in. wide
The box is accompanied by a passport printed with the coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau (The Netherlands), permitting Cornelis Jan Kalis of Sliederecht on 8 October 1894 to enter Russia and remain there for one year, signed by Joan Röell, Minister of Foreign Affairs to Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands (reigned 1890-1948), Princess of Orange-Nassau.
The recipient of the box, Cornelis Jan Kalis, was born in Sliedrecht on 30 November 1853 and died in The Hague on 2 January 1918. He was a son of Jan Kalis (1825-1882) and his wife Maggeltje (née Seret, 1826-1878). He was married at Sliedrecht on 6 December 1877 to Korstiana Maria Hartog (1853-?) and - according to the enclosed document - left for Russia in 1894 in his function as an 'entrepreneur du travaux publiques'. It is probable that he received this presentation box during his time in Russia, in which case one would assume that the initials are 'PA' in Cyrillic below a ducal, grand-ducal or princely crown, such as those of Grand-Duke Alexandrovich of Russia (1860 – 1919). They are, however, equally decipherable as 'FM' or 'MF' in Latin, a combination of letters which would point towards an European recipient.