Superb Eighteenth Century Silver and Mother of Pearl snuff box.

Superb Eighteenth Century Mother of Pearl and silver snuff box.

This fine and extremely rare box is set with hand carved mother of pearl panels which were produced in Canton in the middle of the eighteenth century. The top depicts a hunting scene which takes place in front of a village. It is intensely carved with multiple figures, animals trees and buildings. This style of carving is more usually found in tortoiseshell, ivory or wood and to find it in mother of pearl, a notoriously difficult substance to carve is very rare and unusual. The sides of the box are decorated with more buildings and animals and the base is a plain sheet of mother of pearl. The box is mounted in a framework of silver, tested but unmarked. Later examples of Chinese carved mother of pearl may be found, but the carving is much lighter and more delicate. (See mother of pear patch box also listed).

This fine and beautiful box is 7.2cm wide, 4.8cm deep and stands 1.5cm high. (Measurements approximate). It is in excellent condition, showing only light wear appropriate to its age and substance. It has no damage and no restoration.