99th Auction
2019/5/11
Lot 206
Abraham Chapuis Zoller fecit à Genève / Alexandre Magnin à Genève / attributed to Jean-Louis Richter, 66 x 43 x 20 mm, 140 g, circa 1813
A charming small gold enamel musical box for the English Market
Case: gold and polychrome enamel. Movm.: rectangular, signed, pin barrel with 47 vibrating blades, governor.
The cover is decorated with an enamel miniature showing an exquisitely painted hunting scene inspired by the late 18th century English painters. The quality of the painting is supreme - it was most probably created by the famous enamel painter Jean-Louis Richter. The rectangular box has rounded corners that are ornamented with blue "taille d'épargne" décor. The engine-turned sides base are engraved and bordered by a band of blue "taille d'épargne" foliage scrolls.
Alexandre Magnin, bijoutier, born in Geneva in 1786, son of François Magnin and Jeanne Françoise Girod. This mark was first used by him around 1812 and was re-registered on 23 November 1815. When he died in 1830, his business at Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau 45 was carried on by his widow, née Fanely Gentil, and their elder son Charles who later ended up as the last goldsmith in Geneva specifically to make gold boxes.
Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841) He learned his art under David-Etienne-Roux and Philippe-Samuel-Théodore Roux. He specialized in landscapes, lake-side scenes and marine-scapes, often representing ships in a harbor or battles with Men-of-War, but also portraits and hunting scenes. Richter did not often sign his work, but he style and quality of his paintings make them clearly recognizable as being of his hand. He applied his art principally to watch cases and snuff boxes and these were largely destined for the Chinese, Turkish, British and Italian markets.
A charming small gold enamel musical box for the English Market
Case: gold and polychrome enamel. Movm.: rectangular, signed, pin barrel with 47 vibrating blades, governor.
The cover is decorated with an enamel miniature showing an exquisitely painted hunting scene inspired by the late 18th century English painters. The quality of the painting is supreme - it was most probably created by the famous enamel painter Jean-Louis Richter. The rectangular box has rounded corners that are ornamented with blue "taille d'épargne" décor. The engine-turned sides base are engraved and bordered by a band of blue "taille d'épargne" foliage scrolls.
Alexandre Magnin, bijoutier, born in Geneva in 1786, son of François Magnin and Jeanne Françoise Girod. This mark was first used by him around 1812 and was re-registered on 23 November 1815. When he died in 1830, his business at Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau 45 was carried on by his widow, née Fanely Gentil, and their elder son Charles who later ended up as the last goldsmith in Geneva specifically to make gold boxes.
Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841) He learned his art under David-Etienne-Roux and Philippe-Samuel-Théodore Roux. He specialized in landscapes, lake-side scenes and marine-scapes, often representing ships in a harbor or battles with Men-of-War, but also portraits and hunting scenes. Richter did not often sign his work, but he style and quality of his paintings make them clearly recognizable as being of his hand. He applied his art principally to watch cases and snuff boxes and these were largely destined for the Chinese, Turkish, British and Italian markets.
Sold
estimated
37.000—45.000 €
Price realized
53.800 €