133 - JOHANN WILHELM KEIBEL

JOHANN WILHELM KEIBEL AN EXCEPTIONAL IMPERIAL RUSSIAN GOLD SNUFF BOX BY JOHANN WILHELM KEIBEL, ST PETERSBURG, 1822. This outstanding snuff box, created in 1822 by court jeweller Johann Wilhelm Keibel (1788–1862), is a remarkable example of the highest artistic and technical craftsmanship of St Petersburg during the reigns of Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I. As an official supplier to the Imperial Court, Keibel’s atelier became renowned for its refined forms, opulent decoration, and immaculate quality.Of rectangular form with rounded corners, the box features at its center a finely executed enamel miniature depicting an idyllic pastoral landscape: mountain peaks, a flowing river, peasants, and architectural structures, all rendered with exceptional detail. The miniature is framed by a raised border of floral garlands, grapevines, and neoclassical motifs, masterfully worked in three-color gold. The harmony of pink, green, and yellow gold enhances the composition’s elegance.The sides and reverse of the box are finely engine-turned within decorative borders, creating rhythmic reflections of light and depth. The interior is mirror-polished. Marks: Full maker’s mark “KEIBEL” in Latin letters, St Petersburg city mark with date 1822, assayer’s mark “АЯ” (Alexander Ilyich Yashinov), and inventory number “447”. Dimensions: Length: 10 cm | Width: 4 cm | Height: 1 cmWeight: 125 grams Provenance: Sotheby’s, 4 June 1998, lot 56 Comparable Museum Examples: Similar works by Keibel are preserved in the permanent collections of the State Hermitage Museum and the Fabergé Museum in St Petersburg, where they are considered masterpieces of Imperial Russian decorative art. Width: 7.8cm, Height: 2cm, Depth: 5.5cm, Weight: 0.128kg, Condition: Very good, Material: Enamel, Gold, ID: ID-ANTQ-12239