The objects had been stolen from Temple Newsam in Leeds in a 1979 incident dubbed The Fulford Thefts.
Seven of the 25 18th and 19th century boxes have been recovered with a value of around £100,000.
The French, Swiss and German boxes became part of the museum’s collection at the start of the Second World War following a donation by local art collector and entrepreneur Frank Fulford.
No trace of the items had emerged until earlier this year when the group of seven were consigned to a London auction. The firm ran its checks with Art Loss Register which spotted they matched an entry on its stolen art database. The museum registrar registered the January 1979 theft in 2015.
After a formal accession process with input from ALR, the consignor and Zurich Municipal Insurance (the insurance company involved), the objects have been returned to Temple Newsam. Adam Toole, keeper at Temple Newsam, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to see the boxes return home and are immeasurably grateful to the Art Loss Register.”
ALR and Temple Newsam urge the trade to look out for the missing 18 items which include an 18th century snuff box with basket and bagpipe by Jean-Marie Tiron, an 18th century German gold box and an 18th century English box with panels of moss-agate and rococo scrollwork.
