Round Three-colour Gold Snuffbox, Georges Antoine Crozet, Paris, 1781–1783

18-carat yellow, rose and green gold, chased, engraved and engine-turned (guilloché). Weight: 132 g.
Elegant circular snuffbox with straight sides, hinged cover and flat base. The surface is entirely engine-turned with concentric lines, punctuated by small engraved rosettes. The rim of the cover and the side band are enriched with a continuous border of laurel leaves alternating with pellets, executed in yellow, rose and green gold, producing a refined polychrome effect. At the centre of the lid, within a double beaded and foliate frame, is a raised trophy of musical instruments tied with a ribbon, flanked by oak and laurel branches, also worked in three-colour gold. The interior bears the maker’s mark of Georges Antoine Crozet, Parisian goldsmith active from 1777, together with the charge mark of Henry Clavel (1781–1783), allowing for a precise dating. The finesse of the guillochage and the quality of the chasing make this an outstanding example of late Louis XVI Parisian goldsmithing, foreshadowing the Empire style.