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Snuff box: MAR.M.286-1912

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An image of Snuff box
An image of Snuff box
An image of Snuff box
Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Enamel on copper with gilt metal mounts; rectangular; painted with pastoral views of courting couples

Enamel on copper with gilt metal mounts; rectangular with straight sides and hinged slightly domed lid. The box is painted with pastoral scenes in coloured enamels on a white enamelled ground. Depicted on the lid is a 'scene galante' with three pairs of lovers and a begging dog in a wood; inside the lid are two women listening to a shepherd playing the bagpipes; on each side are a pair of lovers, and on the base are a mother and two children. The gilt metal mount round the lid is reeded and has a scrolled thumbpiece. The lower mount has small scrolls extending down each corner of the box. Inside the box both mounts have fluted edges.

Notes

History note: Uncertain before testator

Legal notes

C.B. Marlay Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 3.6 cm
Length: 6.7 cm
Width: 5.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912-06-18) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley

Dating

18th Century, third quarter
George II
Circa 1750 - 1760

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Surface composed of enamel
Box composed of copper

Identification numbers

Accession number: MAR.M.286-1912
Primary reference Number: 156359

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 29 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Snuff box" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/156359 Accessed: 2025-12-05 10:37:11

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/156359 |title=Snuff box |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 10:37:11|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-156359

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        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa24/MAR_M_286_20_281_29.jpg"
        alt="Snuff box"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Snuff box</figcaption>
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