The cover was chased (not engraved, as ATG lists it) with a scene of Christ appearing to the 11 faithful apostles, said to be by the Amsterdam gold-box maker Jean Saint (working 1723-74).
From the first-rate photographs, including details of the hallmarks, which appeared on thesaleroom.com, it is absolutely clear this box is not by Saint, but by a fellow Amsterdam specialist snuff box maker, Jacob Giraudin (working 1745-1806).
In KA Citroen’s standard reference book on the subject, Amsterdam Silversmiths and Their Marks (1975), Saint’s mark (no. 553) is a straightforward ‘IS’ in Roman capitals in an oblong punch, and nothing like the maker’s mark illustrated.
Giraudin’s mark (no. 452), a script ‘JG’ in monogram in a circular punch, is the maker’s mark on this box, although there is a slight distortion to the punch caused by the angle at which the mark was struck.
None of this makes any difference to what was a good strong price achieved for a very beautiful gold box, but the record should be set straight.
