Lundi 9 décembre, 19h
An exceptional Russian two-color gold, enamel and diamond imperial presentation snuff-box by Keibel set with a portrait miniature signed D. Bossi. The box chased with foliage and flowers in relief on a matte ground, the hinged cover set with a miniature of Tsar Alexander I of Russia (1777-1825) wearing a black coat with red and gold embroidered collar, a blue moiré sash and the breast star of the Imperial order of Saint Andrew, signed by Giovanni Domenico Bossi (1767-1853) and dated 1803, framed with a gold garland and 32 rose cut diamonds interspaced with 32 smaller rose-cut diamonds (approx. 28 carats), the cover set with 4 further diamonds, one at each corner (approx. 8.8 carats) and bordered with a royal blue champlevé enamel baguette. The rounded corners are flanked by rosettes in royal bleu and sky blue champlevé enamel and the underside reveals circular enamel banded motifs around a central rosette on the chased ground. Maker's mark Otto Samuel Keibel, St. Petersburg, circa 1803, 9x7,5x1,5 cm, 253g, scratch inventory numbers 79 and 641, with fitted case cover in green silk velvet and gold embroderies. Provenance: Descendant of Prince Antonio Comuto of Zantes, Greece The Comuto family arrived on the Peloponnesian island of Zante towards the 1500s. They entered the Livre d'Or of Zante nobility in 1580 and in 1626, Dr Stamatello Comuto was elevated to the title of Count. By 1803, the title was held by Count Antonio Comuto, a highly educated man who studied Law, Philosophy, Literature at the Universtiy of Padua, receiving a Doctorate in Law in 1767. On his return to Zante he was named member of the Grand Council, Inspector of local schools and then appointed as Deputy of the Ionian Parliament, Senator, and President of the Senate. The Ionian Islands of Greece, which had been under Venetian authority for centuries, were handed over the French in 1797 under the Treaty of Leoben and liberated by a Russo-Ottoman alliance as the 'Septinsular Republic' in 1800. On 7th December 1803, Count Antonio Comuto was appointed Prince of the Septinsular Republic by direct order of the Russian Emperor, Alexander I. Considered a Russian protectorate, the Emperor conveyed his congratulations by presenting him with this gold snuffbox. The object has been passed down through the generations to the present owner.
Description
An exceptional Russian two-color gold, enamel and diamond imperial presentation snuff-box by Keibel set with a portrait miniature signed D. Bossi.
The box chased with foliage and flowers in relief on a matte ground, the hinged cover set with a miniature of Tsar Alexander I of Russia (1777-1825) wearing a black coat with red and gold embroidered collar, a blue moiré sash and the breast star of the Imperial order of Saint Andrew, signed by Giovanni Domenico Bossi (1767-1853) and dated 1803, framed with a gold garland and 32 rose cut diamonds interspaced with 32 smaller rose-cut diamonds (approx. 28 carats), the cover set with 4 further diamonds, one at each corner (approx. 8.8 carats) and bordered with a royal blue champlevé enamel baguette. The rounded corners are flanked by rosettes in royal bleu and sky blue champlevé enamel and the underside reveals circular enamel banded motifs around a central rosette on the chased ground.
Maker's mark Otto Samuel Keibel, St. Petersburg, circa 1803, 9x7,5x1,5 cm, 253g, scratch inventory numbers 79 and 641, with fitted case cover in green silk velvet and gold embroderies.
Provenance: Descendant of Prince Antonio Comuto of Zantes, Greece
The Comuto family arrived on the Peloponnesian island of Zante towards the 1500s. They entered the Livre d'Or of Zante nobility in 1580 and in 1626, Dr Stamatello Comuto was elevated to the title of Count. By 1803, the title was held by Count Antonio Comuto, a highly educated man who studied Law, Philosophy, Literature at the Universtiy of Padua, receiving a Doctorate in Law in 1767. On his return to Zante he was named member of the Grand Council, Inspector of local schools and then appointed as Deputy of the Ionian Parliament, Senator, and President of the Senate.
The Ionian Islands of Greece, which had been under Venetian authority for centuries, were handed over the French in 1797 under the Treaty of Leoben and liberated by a
Russo-Ottoman alliance as the 'Septinsular Republic' in 1800. On 7th December 1803, Count Antonio Comuto was appointed Prince of the Septinsular Republic by direct order of the Russian Emperor, Alexander I. Considered a Russian protectorate, the Emperor conveyed his congratulations by presenting him with this gold snuffbox. The object has been passed down through the generations to the present owner.
Le trésor du Prince Comuto
La famille Comuto est venue à Zante du Péloponèse vers l’an1500. Elle fut inscrite auLivre d’Or de la noblesse de Zante à la fin du XVIe siècle. En 1626 elle fut élevée au titrede comte en la personne du Dr. Stamatello Comuto. Les membres de cette famille ontensuite occupé les plus hautes charges de l’Etat. Grand intellectuel, le comte AntoniaComuto (1748-1833) a étudié la philosophie, la littérature et obtient un doctorat de droità l’université de Padoue. A son retour à Zante il est nommé membre du Grand Conseil,inspecteur des écoles, puis élu député au Parlement ionien, Sénateur puis Président. LesÎles Ioniennes à l’ouest de la Grèce ont été longtemps sous la domination vénitienne. En1797 elles sont annexées par la France, puis en 1800, l’archipel est occupé par les forcesrusso-ottomanes et est placé sous protectorat sous le nom de la République des Sept-Îles.Le 7 décembre 1803 le comte Comuto est élevé au titre de Prince de l’Etat Septinsulairesur l’ordre exprès de SM l’Empereur de Russie. C’est à l’occasion de cette promotionau titre de gouverneur qu’il reçoit du Tsar Alexandre Ier la présente boîte.Reference: Livre d’Or de la noblesse Ionienne - Corfou, Céphalonie, Zante, Eugène RizoRangabè, Maison d’éditions «Eleftheroudakis», Athènes 1925, 3rd volume, pages 69-72.