Estimate

15.000 - 25.000

Session 3

20 October 2022

Hammer Price

Description

Gold, enamels and diamonds, 19th century
Rectangular shaped of chiselled decoration with foliage scrolls
Elliptic medallion to cover set with brilliant cut diamonds totalling ca. 1,40 ct, depicting the insignia "L1" for King Luís I of Portugal (1838-1889), set with rose cut diamonds on a blue enamelled ground
Corners set with four brilliant cut diamonds weighing in total approximately 2 ct, each weighing ca. 0,50 ct
Unmarked
(signs of wear)

9x6 cm
200 g (aprox.)

Category

Jewellery

Additional Information

Provenance:
This most important snuff box, which belonged to King Luís I of Portugal, was gifted to Filipe Folque (1800-1874), Division General, Doctor and Mathematics teacher for the princesses, Knight Nobleman of the Royal House and Peer of the Realm, as a thank you token for the services rendered to the Crown and to the Kingdom.
Filipe Folque insistently refused the honours of a title of nobility both during Queen Maria II reign as well as during that of her son King Luís I. Married to Folque’s daughter Virgínia Folque, Luiz Caetano de Castro e Almeida Pimentel de Sequeira e Abreu was however, in 1864, ennobled by the King and given the title of Count of Nova Goa. Thereby, by marriage, the snuff box passes to the Nova Goa family and by inheritance to the 2nd count, Luís Filipe de Castro. Subsequently it passes to his son Duarte Manuel de Castro e Almeida Pimentel de Sequeira e Abreu, later being inherited by the latter’s daughter Mafalda Clara do Valle de Castro.
Of undisputed artistic and historic relevance, the snuff box was later acquired by the renowned antique books dealer and gold box collector Dr. António Tavares de Carvalho.