Box - Case - Snuffbox - Russian Art

Snuff box in marble, silver and vermeil. The red marble slabs veined with black on the outside contrast with those of green marble inside the box. The thick and generous silver and vermeil frame surrounds and reinforces the lower part. In two places it bears Russian hallmarks prior to the 1917 revolution, 84 zolotniki or 875/000. The scepter and the two anchors represent the arms of the city of Saint Petersburg and allow us to locate its origin. A second hallmark indicates the letters ''OM'' for the goldsmith or date letters that we have not identified. The woman's profile allows us to date this work to around 1890. These delicate objects are rare and precious because they are made of a fragile material, little used. The pads of this copy therefore have cracks, cracks or tiny chips in places but no significant shock or loss (see photos).