A group of four boîtes-à-miniatures, Paris, mid-18th century and later,

A group of four boîtes-à-miniatures, Paris, mid-18th century and later,

circular, the first of tortoiseshell, mid-18th century, with engraved gold mounts, the lid centred with an enamel portrait miniature of a lady in a white lace-trimmed dress with blue bows, by Friedrich Zincke, within gold frame; the second a tortoiseshell-lined amber-coloured lacquer example decorated with small mother of pearl discs, corded silver-gilt mounts, the lid applied with an en grisaille enamel miniature of Catherine the Great on a pale blue ground, circa 1780; the third a tortoiseshell-lined poudre d'écaille composition box, late 18th century, the lid inset with four oval panels painted with flowers, two female profiles and monogram JC below a continental Count's coronet, gilt-metal mounts; the fourth also a tortoiseshell-lined composition example with two-coloured gilt-metal mounts, probably circa 1780, the lid applied with an oval portrait miniature of a lady with a plumed headband, painted on ivory

from 6.4cm., 2½in. to 8.1cm., 3⅛in. diameter

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