A GOLD AND ENAMEL SNUFF BOX, HANAU, CIRCA 1790, THE PAINTED ENAMEL BY ANTOINE CARTERET |

rectangular with cut corners, the lid inset with a large enamel plaque, by Antoine Carteret, signed, of a marine subject after the manner of Joseph Vernet, the border, sides and base smartly enamelled with ring and honeycomb patterns in opaque light blue on polished gold, within narrow white borders, French prestige marks including maker's mark H crowned, charge mark of Julien Alaterre, with another, the right rim with Hanau shell mark indicating 18ct gold

Very chic, overall good condition - must have suffered from a blow to the front left corner of the lid causing a small dent and slight loss of enamel to border; surface scratch in the top right corner on the lid
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Antoine Carteret is a slightly elusive enamel painter who worked with Johan Daniel Berneaud in Hanau at the end of the 18^th and beginning of the 19^th century. He was born in Geneva on 22 January 1766, son of Jean Gédeon, natif, marchand de soie, and Anne Jacqueline Vernion/Vergnon. He was presumably trained as an enamel painter in Geneva before moving to Germany. He is recorded in Mainz (Mayence – Département du Mont-Tonnerre) as peintre en miniature on 18 pluviose an 10 (7 February 1802) on the occasion of his marriage to Louise Françoise Antoinette Koenig, daughter of the late François Joseph Koenig, Conseiller intime de l’Electeur ci-devant de Mayence. She had been divorced 9 days earlier from her former husband Carl Franz Lippert. Little is recorded of Carteret’s work  - Clouzot lists two enamels by him dated 1814 (Henri Clouzot, Dictionnaire de miniatures sur émail, Paris, 1924). Both depict contemporary subjects: L’Entrée des Alliés à Hanau and Le Triomphe des Alliés and both are described as sur une boîte en or. Signed miniatures of Caroline Murat and her children and of an unnamed officer in uniform are also recorded . of which Schidlof was somewhat unfairly critical, see The miniature in Europe, Graz, 1964, vol. I) Some plaques signed CB or C&B presumably painted with Berneaud are also recorded. It is evident, however, that Carteret’s real talent lay in bringing the techniques and high standard of Geneva enamel painting to the many unsigned Hanau gold boxes which he may well have decorated.