A Chinese famille rose silver-mounted porcelain rectangular snuff box, third quarter 18th century.

A Chinese famille rose silver-mounted porcelain rectangular snuff box, third quarter 18th century. Photo Bonhams

Each side painted in underglaze-blue with a foliate scrollwork border, enclosing, on the base and sides, a polychrome flower spray, and on the cover a landscape scene with putti in disguise, the inside cover with a scene with a Chinese couple and a child in a landscape setting with buildings, the interior gilt, the mounts with 'J' discharge mark for the Netherlands, 1906-53, 7cm across. Estimate: £1,000 - 1,500, € 1,100 - 1,700, US$ 1,700 - 2,500. Sold for £2,040

Literature: Beaucamp-Markowsky 1988, no. 107

Exhibited: Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, 1972(?)-2003;
London, Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, 2003-2008;
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, The Bowes Museum, 2008-2010

Bonhams. The Helmut Joseph Collection of Important Snuff Boxes, 5 Jul 2011. London, New Bond Street www.bonhams.com