French Palais Royale Gold Mounted Carved Mother of Pearl Shell Pocket Snuff Box
A Fine French Palais Royale Gold Mounted Carved Mother of Pearl Shell Pocket Snuff Box Shaped as a small boat, a mermaid with a spiralling fish’s tail and long tresses carved as a figurehead to the bow, the lid carved with a scene of Faith holding an anchor surrounded by two cherubs, the gold hinge with engraved foliate designs.
Circa 1800-1820
Size: 1.6cm high, 7cm long, 3cm wide - ½ ins high, 2¾ ins long, 1¼ ins wide
Circa 1800-1820
Size: 1.6cm high, 7cm long, 3cm wide - ½ ins high, 2¾ ins long, 1¼ ins wide
This unusual and finely carved small snuffbox was made for a waistcoat pocket and perhaps for the use of a merchant ships captain or high-ranking naval officer. It was believed by sailors that high winds and gales at sea would subside if a naked woman appeared before them, and it is for this reason that so many of the figureheads of ships were carved with a woman with a bare breast.
French Palais Royale Gold Mounted Carved Mother of Pearl Shell Pocket Snuff Box
![Main image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/f24c5668f78743b3a8381ffff5893274.jpg?w=190&h=190&mode=pad&format=jpg)
SOLD
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/89b526a730734c189adbb6ef678242bf.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/182c9e62098d4948a80371a52bda0eac.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/59278cd4e96545679bbe2e80bc3bf6f5.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/5f1bbb5a41884fa1923637d906b1efe8.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/63f3a74c6ddd47d5a4cc5bf260bd79ef.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/89b526a730734c189adbb6ef678242bf.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/182c9e62098d4948a80371a52bda0eac.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/59278cd4e96545679bbe2e80bc3bf6f5.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/5f1bbb5a41884fa1923637d906b1efe8.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)
![Mini image](https://images.finch-and-co.co.uk/FinchMedia/Object/63f3a74c6ddd47d5a4cc5bf260bd79ef.jpg?width=550&format=jpg)