A fine and rare embellished gilt-copper and agate two-tiered oval box and cover, Qianlong. Photo courtesy Bonhams.
The straight-sided oval container opening at top and bottom, decorated with inset red and white embellishments including a few natural diamond chips towards the rims and on the cover, the recessed side panels inset with agate of vivid white and pale brown natural tones, gilt overall in rich gold and cast with Western-influenced Rococo motifs in relief, the base chased with a central insignia featuring a double-headed mythical creature and opening to reveal a raised hidden glass panel framing a yellow-ground textile panel. 8.3cm wide; 6.5cm deep; 6cm high. Estimate HK$ 200,000 - 300,000 (€19,000 - 29,000)
The London jeweller James Cox is best known for his mechanical clocks which were shipped in quite large quantities to India and Canton. It seems likely that he developed his particular specialty, the use of garnets, diamonds and glass equivalents to embellish a clock case, from his knowledge of Indian jewelled artifacts. He clearly had a particular affection for using agate in his display pieces, especially brown and white banded agate.
An exceptional ormolu and agate clock for the Chinese market, made by James Cox and still keeping the original key signed and dated by him, was sold in our London rooms, 12 December 2012. See also a comparable agate-set cage-mounted rectangular snuff box in the manner of Cox, now secured within the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated by Hou, Yi-Li, Lifting the Spirit and Body: The Art and Culture of Snuff Bottles, Taipei, 2012, pp.62-63, no.I-004 (fig.1). See also another similar example now in Temple Newsan House, Leeds, illustrated by A. Kenneth Snowman, Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes of Europe, pl.453. For a pair of Canton gilt-copper and agate snuff boxes which were Tribute boxes to Beijing, see Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, op.cit., nos.29, 30, col.pl.76.
Imported agate boxes show up regularly in lists of gifts from Canton officials to the Qing Court: for example, in the 11th year of Yongzheng (1733) Mao Keming, Superintendent of Guangdong Maritime Customs and Zheng Wusai, Deputy Superintendent jointly presented rose quartz court necklaces, Yidalun snuff boxes, foreign agate snuff boxes and variegated agate snuff boxes: see Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, op.cit., p.58.
Bonhams. THE SPEELMAN COLLECTION OF CHINESE 'IMPERIAL TRIBUTE' SNUFF BOXES. Hong Kong. 24 Nov 2013 13:00 CST - www.bonhams.com