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One of a set of four counter boxes: M.14 & A-R-1938

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

One of a set of four counter boxes

Maker(s)

Maker: Mariaval, Le Jeune

Entities

Categories

Description

Rectangular, ivory box painted in colours on a natural ivory ground; the lid inscribed 'La fidelité me conduit'

Ivory, engraved and painted in black, green, yellow and pink, with gilt metal hinges. Rectangular, the base with straight sides. The moulded sides of the lid projecting slightly over the base. The two projecting hinges are pinned to a metal scroll inside the box. The upper surface and interior of the lid and the base are engraved in outline in black and painted on a natural ground. The top of the lid is decorated with a roundel of Cupid, blindfolded, carrying in his right hand a bow, and led by a dog on a lead. The scroll above the roundel is inscribed 'La fidelité me conduit'. The roundel is surrounded by scrolling foliage, flowers, pendant garlands and a shell in green, pink and yellow. At each corner is a swag of green fruit on a pink stippled ground. The inside the lid is decorated with a black hare (or cat-like creature?) surrounded by green, pink and yellow scrolling foliage and flowers within a black border beneath which is the inscription 'Mariaval le Juene a Rouen fecit'. The base is decorated with a pink and green tulip and two other flowers in a yellow border. The box contains 13 long narrow counters painted on both sides with a floral design in yellow, green and pink, and five elongated octagonal counters painted on both sides with a green and yellow floral border on a pink stipped ground, numbered in black '5', '10', '30' '40' or '50'. (with M.15 & A-Z-1938, M.16 & A-Y-1938 and M.17 & A-X-1938)

Notes

History note: S.E. Kennedy; Christie, Manson & Woods, 18-22 March, 1918, Important collection of objects of art, antiquities, armour and arms, on 22 March,

Legal notes

L.D. Cunliffe Bequest, 1937

Measurements and weight

Height: 2.6 cm
Length: 8.5 cm
Width: 6.3 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Rouen ⪼ France

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1937) by Cunliffe, Leonard Daneham

Dating

18th Century, Early#
Circa 1720 CE - Circa 1730 CE

Note

Mariaval le Jeune was an engraver on ivory active in Rouen and Paris in the early to mid 18th century. He designed the card game Reversino (Reversis) in which the object is to avoid winning tricks. This is one of a set of four boxes probably intended for this game.

School or Style

French

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of painting
Ivory

Materials used in production

Ivory

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: Mariaval le Jeune a Rouen fecit
  • Location: Inside the lid
  • Method of creation: Inscribed
  • Type: Signature
  • Text: La fidelité me conduit
  • Location: On the lid
  • Method of creation: Inscribed
  • Type: Motto

Inscription present: paper label

  • Text: B / 19 / L.M
  • Location: On the back between the two hinges
  • Method of creation: Hand-written in ink on paper
  • Type: Label

Inscription present: monogram with dolphin above; and below, No. 134

  • Text: SEK monogram
  • Location: On back of box
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.14 & A-R-1938
Primary reference Number: 31713
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 18 December 2023 Last processed: Monday 18 December 2023

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 (2024) "One of a set of four counter boxes" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/31713 Accessed: 2024-11-05 16:48:00

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/31713 |title=One of a set of four counter boxes |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 16:48:00|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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