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Etui: M.141 & A-D-1973

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Miniaturist: Spaendonck, Gerard van
Box maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Red laquered ivory with an oval miniature of a carved stone urn of flowers and a nest.

Red lacquer, probably on ivory, with gold mounts, a miniature on the front face and an initial on the back. The tapering flattened cylindrical etui necessaire has a slightly domed hinged lid with a catch, which is released by a button on the right hand side with a thumb plate above. The mounts round the miniature, initial and rims are embossed with ropework, those at the top and bottom of the etui are engraved with a pattern of zig-zags and scrolls. The front and back of the lid each have an openwork gold plaque pinned over pale green metallic foil, bearing the words 'NECESAIR' and 'D’AMITIE' respectively, framed by ribbons. On the front is a miniature, possibly painted on card. On the back is an elaborate gold openwork initial 'A' on a green metallic foil ground, under glass. The miniature depicts a two-handled stone vase carved with a cherub, containing flowers including roses, hyacinth, forget-me-nots, auricula and morning glory, next to a nest of leaves containing three eggs, all on a marble slab against a dark grey ground. The etui contains a pair of scissors, an ivory tablet with a gold stud, a pencil, a bodkin and another implement in separate compartments lined with red velvet.

Notes

History note: Not known before testator

Legal notes

Major, the Hon. H.TR. Broughton Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 2.1 cm
Length: 8.0 cm
Width: 5.0 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1973-04-06) by Broughton, Henry Rogers, Major the Hon.

Dating

18th Century, Late-19th Century, Early#
Circa 1766 - Before 1822

Note

Gerard van Spaendonck was Dutch but worked in Paris

School or Style

French box with Dutch painting

Components of the work

Mounts composed of gold ( probably)
Vase composed of ivory

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: A
  • Location: On the back of the etui
  • Method of creation: Cut from gold sheet, engraved and set under glass
  • Type: Initial
  • Text: NECESSAIR
  • Location: On the front of the lid
  • Method of creation: Cut from gold sheet and engraved
  • Text: D'AMITIE
  • Location: On the back of the lid
  • Method of creation: Cut from gold sheet and engraved

Inscription present: possibly a woman's head facing left

  • Location: On the rim mount and on one sewing implement
  • Method of creation: Struck

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.141 & A-D-1973
Primary reference Number: 31720
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 13 December 2019 Last processed: Thursday 7 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) "Etui" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/31720 Accessed: 2024-03-28 19:59:41

Citation for Wikipedia

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

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/31720 |title=Etui |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-28 19:59:41|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-31720

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