A RARE AND HIGHLY COLLECTABLE HALCYON DAYS ENAMELS LIMITED EDITION RECTANGULAR TRINKET BOX, BEAUTIFULLY HANDCRAFTED IN ENAMEL ON COPPER WITH GILT BRASS MOUNTS IN ENGLAND IN THE TRADITION OF THE FAMOUS BILSTON ENAMELS. THIS EXQUISITE EXAMPLE FEATURES A SUPERB REPRODUCTION OF ACT III FROM JOHN GAY'S CELEBRATED "THE BEGGAR'S OPERA", TAKEN FROM THE ICONIC OIL PAINTING BY WILLIAM HOGARTH, ONE OF BRITAIN'S GREATEST EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY ARTISTS. THE DETAILED SCENE IS RICHLY COLOURED AND BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED, CAPTURING THE DRAMA AND SATIRICAL SPIRIT OF THE ORIGINAL WORK.
THE INTERIOR LID FEATURES A PRINTED HISTORICAL INSCRIPTION DESCRIBING THE FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE BEGGAR'S OPERA AT COVENT GARDEN ON 16TH DECEMBER 1732, TOGETHER WITH A REFERENCE TO HOGARTH'S ORIGINAL PAINTING. THE BASE RETAINS THE OFFICIAL HALCYON DAYS MARKS AND IS NUMBERED 42 OF A STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION OF ONLY 250 PRODUCED WORLDWIDE, MAKING THIS AN EXCEPTIONALLY SCARCE EXAMPLE WITH A DESIRABLE LOW EDITION NUMBER.
THE EXTERIOR IS FINISHED IN AN ELEGANT CREAM AND OCHRE ENAMEL WITH DELICATE GREY NEOCLASSICAL SCROLLWORK DECORATION AROUND THE LOWER SIDES, WHILE THE INTERIOR IS FINISHED IN GLOSSY WHITE ENAMEL WITH CRISP, CLEAR INSCRIPTIONS. THE BOX OPENS AND CLOSES SMOOTHLY AND RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL BLUE HALCYON DAYS PRESENTATION BOX WITH VELVET-FITTED INTERIOR, ADDING TO ITS DISPLAY APPEAL AND COLLECTABILITY.
A WONDERFUL PIECE FOR COLLECTORS OF HALCYON DAYS ENAMELS, ENGLISH ENAMELWARE, WILLIAM HOGARTH MEMORABILIA, THEATRE AND OPERA COLLECTABLES, FINE ART, GEORGIAN HISTORY, OR HIGH-QUALITY BRITISH DECORATIVE ARTS. EQUALLY SUITABLE FOR DISPLAY OR FOR STORING RINGS, JEWELLERY AND OTHER SMALL TREASURES.
DIMENSIONS: APPROXIMATELY 6.5 CM (2.56 IN) WIDE × 5 CM (1.97 IN) DEEP × 2.5 CM (0.98 IN) HIGH.