View full screen - View 1 of Lot 74. A gold and enamel snuff box, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, Paris, 1776.
74

A gold and enamel snuff box, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, Paris, 1776

73

74

75

A gold and enamel snuff box, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, Paris, 1776

A gold and enamel snuff box, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, Paris, 1776

A gold and enamel snuff box, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, Paris, 1776


oval, the lid centred with an oval enamel medallion painted with an allegory of Justice after Angelika Kauffmann's Die Allegorie der Justitia, 1777, framed by a green and red enamel laurel border, the ground, sides and base of grey enamel over diaper-pattern engine-turning, within intertwined borders of white and red enamel beads and green leaves on a sablé ground, repeated in the dividers on the sides, maker's mark, charge and discharge mark of Jean Baptiste Fouache, Paris date letter for 1776, the rim numbered: 531

8.2cm., 3¼in. wide

Overall in good condition; some minor losses to enamel, small traces of restoration to grey enamel on the back panel and left side panel; very light surface wear on base as to be expected


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. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Walter and Catalina von Pannwitz Collection;
thence by descent
On 27 February 1750, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy became apprentice to François-Joachim Aubert, a goldsmith who had specialised in mounting tortoiseshell and lacquer snuff boxes. Aubert also acted as sponsor in 1768 when Blerzy became master, from the pont au Change. His shop remained on the bridge until 1785 when all the houses were destroyed in order to widen the road. Blerzy subsequently moved to the rue de la Monnaie 41, and sometime before 1798 to the rue du Coq St. Honoré where he is recorded in the Almanach de Commerce in 1806 with his brother Etienne-Lucien. Blerzy was one of the most accomplished late eighteenth century Parisian gold box makers, and examples made during his long career can be found in most of the major museum collections for decorative arts, such as the Gilbert Collection in the Victoria & Albert Museum (e. g. inv. no 370-2008), or the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 17.190.1130).