Circular box of tortoiseshell, inlaid all over in vari-colour gold and mother-of-pearl piqué-posé in a peacock feather and star pattern, the cover set with a watercolour miniature on card or vellum of a landscape after Joseph Vernet
3¹⁄₈ in. (80 mm.) diameter

The Hon. William Frederick Barton Massey-Mainwaring (1845-1907),
Massey-Mainwaring Collection; Christie's, London, 14 March 1907, lot 468.
with Frank Partridge, London, 15th July 1943,
Albert Marber (1900-1960), then by descent.

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.
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Lot Essay

The miniature set on the cover is a view of Tivoli after one of Joseph Vernet (1714-1789) most celebrated paintings for François de Régny (1706-1779), French Consul in Genoa. This painting was later engraved by Pietro Martini (1738-1797) in the 1770s (see L. Lagrange, Joseph Vernet et la peinture au XVIIIème siècle, with the texts from the Livres de raison and some other unpublished documents, Paris 1864, p. 475) and given the imagined title: View of Spoleto.
Vernet became the reference point throughout Europe for landscape and marine paintings sought after by wealthy European collectors. This View of Tivoli was without question one of the most striking examples of his mature work and was painted when he was at the peak of his career, in 1753.
Tivoli became one of the most depicted sites favoured by 18th century painters and by visitors on the Grand Tour.

View of Spoleto, engraving after Joseph Vernet (French, Avignon 1714–1789 Paris) by Pietro Antonio Martini (Italian, Trescali 1738–1797 Parma)circa 1770 © The Metropolitan Museum, New York.