Napoleon's Adieux Snuff Box with Miniature and Manuscripts
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A 19th century French tortoiseshell snuff box, the hinged lid painted with a miniature of Napoleon's Adieux to the Garde Imperiale in the Cheval-Blanc courtyard of the Chateau de Fontainebleau 1814, after the oil by Emile Vernet. The box contains an ink on paper miniature of the same scene and two ink manuscripts in French, one detailing the scene and Napoleon's address of 20 April 1814, the other a key of the major characters. 9 x 7 x 2.4 cm. Small tortoiseshell piece absent over rear right hinge. Provenance: Private Auckland Collection. By bequest from our vendor's paternal grandmother. Of French Huguenot descent, 17th C emigres to Ireland. A family member is reputed to have fought alongside Napoleon.
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- Tortoiseshell - Tortoiseshell is a translucent material that comes from the horny carapace of a certain types of turtles, including the hawksbill turtle. It is often therefore mounted on a colour underground - often red - or inlaid with gold or silver thread, as seen in Boulle furniture.
The texture and colour nuances of the material are extremely important. Heated tortoiseshell can easily be formed into various shapes. Like other natural materials, tortoiseshell becomes more beautiful with use. In a time before plastic, tortoiseshell was widely used for small objects such as combs and powder compacts.
In 1973, the trade of tortoiseshell worldwide was banned under CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Prior to importing or exporting items containing tortoiseshell a CITES permit must be obtained. Tortoiseshell items cannot be traded on Ebay.
"Faux tortoiseshell", another case of man initiating nature, is made from old-style plastics such as celluloid and cellulos and is coloured with red, yellow and brown spots to imitate the genuine article. It is commonly used in glasses frames, musical instruments and costume jewellery.
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