Description: I’ve seen a few of these, over the years, though they differ in the scenes impressed on the back of the hat. Made of heat-molded horn, in the form of Napoleon’s iconic bicorne hat with the tricolor badge (the representative inlay now faded to off-white with a red center), this one displays a scene of the triumphal column in Paris’s Place Vendome, which was raised between 1806-1810 with a statue of the Emperor at its top. The column is covered in a scrolling frieze documenting Napoleon’s military successes, in ancient Roman style (after the columns of Trajan and Marcus Aurelius in Rome), its sculpted cladding made of melted-down munitions captured on campaign. I’d date this as a commemorative of the monument’s dedication, so c. 1810. The raised text at the bottom, flanking the column, reads “Napoléon Le Grand/Cheri De La Victoire/Il Sut Par Son Génie/Eterniser Sa Gloire”. This little bit of dedicatory verse, perhaps taken from a contemporary poem read in honor of the Emperor, roughly translates as “Napoléon the Great/Beloved by Victory/for his Genius/He will be Eternally Glorified”. Condition is excellent: the box is thoroughly structurally sound and without losses, including its integral hinge.it retains its inlaid detail on the front of the bicorne, and the raised detail impressed on its back is wholly legible if not crisp (typical of these pressed horn pieces). A lovely example of First Empire Napoleonic memorabilia, and a superb example of this type of snuff box for the collector of same. NB: I’ve found two other identical examples put up for auction in the past; both houses put the date of the box at c. 1830, though without specifying why. So more conservatively, it may be dated either 1810 or 1830 (I doubt it was made in the first years of the Bourbon Restoration…) 1830 was a year of revolutionary ferment, so possibly a wave of Napoleonic nostalgia and support was reflected in this box, especially as the original column was quickly torn down by the Bourbons, and only replaced during the reign of Napoleon III, much later. If anyone expert can further enlighten me as to a maker or precise date of manufacture, I’ll be happy to add that information and amend my listing accordingly, with gratitude. As a collector of snuffs myself, I’d be glad to know more, and I do strive to be as accurate in my descriptions as possible. I am a professional antiques dealer and stand behind my goods with an absolute guarantee should they not prove what I’ve described; if you’re not pleased for any reason a return will be accepted for up to two weeks after receipt of your item. I will also pay return shipping, if the former is demonstrably true. Stay tuned: I will be offering many more choice smalls including miniature portraits, silhouettes, snuff boxes, early Staffordshire, silver, tea caddies, Chinese export silver, inkwells, and some true rarities in early folk and decorative art. Favorite me in your sellers list to discover much more!
Price: 249.95 USD
Location: Scarsdale, New York
End Time: 2025-01-08T18:24:44.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money back or replacement (buyer's choice)
Country/Region of Manufacture: France
Handmade: Yes
