Gold Boxes & Objects of Vertu

Objects of vertu are small objects created from precious materials either to be admired simply as works of art or, more often, originally conceived for a practical purpose such as snuff boxes, cigarette cases, scent bottles, fans and other similar small objects of beauty and adornment.

With new interest from around the world, this area of collecting has recently seen a strong revival. It is perhaps not surprising that such objects should be popular as each encapsulates a wealth of history, imagination and artistic skill within a very small area in a threedimensional space. The rarest gold boxes tend to have royal provenance or were presented on important occasions, thereby linking them closely to history. Over the course of more than three centuries, goldsmiths, chasers, enamel painters, lapidaries, engravers and other skilled artists created these portable luxuries from an array of materials beyond gold.

Sotheby’s sales include gold boxes and objects of vertu of British, European and American origin ranging from the late 17th century to modern times. Furthermore, Sotheby’s is the only auction house globally with a dedicated Gold Boxes Department focused on single owner and various owner sales and valuations.

Regular sales and dedicated single owner sales of gold boxes take place in Geneva, London, New York and Paris, with exceptional snuff boxes offered in the prestigious Treasures/Trésors sale in London and Paris. Since 2019, Sotheby's has emerged as the market leader for Gold Boxes and Objects of Vertu, selling over £5 million in works of this category in 2020 and over £6 million in 2024, outperforming other auction houses in this field.

In January 2024, Sotheby's Vertu Department also sold the exceptional Hope Cup, made by Jean-Valentin Morel to the Musée D'Orsay for more than $2 million, becoming the most expensive object of vertu to be sold at auction that year.