{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O156445"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O156445/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU2609/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU2609/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU2609","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2574","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2573","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2307","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2306","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O156445/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O156445","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.1029-2008","objectType":"Snuffbox","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This elegant box is enamelled in translucent red over an engine-turned background. Engine-turning consists of a pattern created with the aid of a machine, rather than using hand-engraving. It can be carried out in straight or curved lines, allowing a variety of patterns to be produced, using straight-line or circular machines. Although the decoration is carried out with a machine, great skill is required from the operator to ensure that pieces are properly aligned and that an equal amount of pressure is applied. The letters 'LM' are probably a later addition. \r\n\r\nAs with many other boxes by Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, this box is numbered. The significance of these numbers is not yet known as they do not appear to relate to the date of manufacture.\r\n\r\nSir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world’s great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.  Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.\n","physicalDescription":"A rectangular, jewelled and enamelled gold snuff box with canted corners, the walls, cover, and base engine-turned and enamelled in translucent red bordered by opaque white, with enamelled fruiting foliage and pilasters hung with swags. To the white border of the cover is applied an interlaced ribbon of rose diamonds and enamelled fruiting foliage; in the centre of the cover is the monogram LM in rose diamonds within a rose diamond circle.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Blerzy, Joseph-Etienne","id":"A14796"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"},{"text":"diamond","id":"AAT11084"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engine turning","id":"AAT233401"},{"text":"enamelling","id":"x37485"},{"text":"setting","id":"x42734"},{"text":"guilloché (engraving technique)","id":"THES383868"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamelled copper with pastes","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU2609","2008BU2574","2008BU2573","2008BU2307","2008BU2306"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"71A","id":"THES413997"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"snuffbox","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1775-1776","earliest":"1775-01-01","latest":"1776-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"5.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured 29/01/24 IW","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Max von Goldschmidt-Rothschild Collection, Frankfurt am Main, no.405. Rene Fribourg, sale, Sotheby's, lot 296, October 14, 1963. Henry Ford II, sale, Sotheby's, New York, lot. 23, February, 25, 1978. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S. J. Phillips, London, 1979.\r\n\r\nA successful banker who married into the Rothschild banking dynasty, Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild was one of the wealthiest individuals in the German Empire. In November 1938, the Nazi mayor of Frankfurt exploited the anti-Semitic violence engulfing the city and forced him to sell his entire art collection to Frankfurt's museums. After the war Maximilian's grandson, who served in the American military, demanded the restitution of the collection. Thanks to archival records kept by the Museum of Applied Arts and the City of Frankfurt, we know that this snuffbox was returned to the family in 1949.\r\n\nThis object formed part of the V&A's special provenance display 'Concealed Histories: Uncovering the Story of Nazi Looting' (December 2019 - June 2021)","historicalContext":"Joseph-Etienne Blerzy, one of the most prolific of all French gold box makers, was apprenticed to François-Joachim Aubert on February 27, 1750. After eighteen years he attained the maîtrise on March 12, 1768, with Aubert as his sponsor. His address was in Rue du Grand Hurleur.","briefDescription":"Snuffbox with monogram LM in diamonds.  Gold, diamonds, enamel. Joseph Etienne-Blerzy, Paris, 1775-76","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Habsburg-Lothringen, Géza von. <u>Gold boxes from the collection of Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert</u>.  R. & A. Gilbert, 1983. 125 p., ill. Cat no. 48, p. 94. ISBN. 0961039809."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Truman, Charles.<u>The Gilbert collection of gold boxes</u>, Vol. I. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. 29, pp. 99-100.  ISBN.0875871623"},{"reference":{"text":"Schroder, Timothy. <i>Gold boxes : from the Gilbert collection : an exhibition</i>, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986","id":"AUTH354598"},"details":"61","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"https://web.archive.org/web/20230606004515/https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/museum-life/concealed-histories-uncovering-the-story-of-nazi-looting"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Included in the exhibition 'The Collection of Maximilian von Goldschmidt Rothschild' at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt (January-June 2023)"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"4. Snuffbox with monogram LM\r\n1775–76\r\n\nParis, France, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy (active 1768-1808, goldsmith)\nGold, enamel and rose-cut diamonds\nFormerly in the collection of Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (1843-1940)\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.1029-2008","date":{"text":"16/11/2016 - 2024","earliest":"2016-11-16","latest":"2024-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.1029-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"1029","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"GB 14"},{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.382"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 259"},{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.629"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2018LC2916","2019LM9275","2019LP0600","2019LT6586","2019LW1079"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-12","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-19","availableToBook":false}}