397 - Jacques-Frédéric KIRSTEIN (Strasbourg, 1765–1838) or his son Joachim Frédéric II KIRSTEIN (Strasbourg, 1805–1860)

Jacques-Frédéric KIRSTEIN (Strasbourg, 1765–1838) or his son Joachim Frédéric II KIRSTEIN (Strasbourg, 1805–1860) A rare rectangular snuff box in vermeil, decorated with nielloed scrolls and foliage motifs; the hinged lid is inlaid with an exceptional composition of finely chiseled silver on multiple levels depicting a lion attacking a bull in a verdant landscape by Jacques-Frédéric Kirstein (or his son), under a slightly domed glass cover, the reverse features a nielloed mosaic design, framed by scrolls and acanthus leaves in vermeil on an amati background in the Rocaille style; the interior, in vermeil, is engraved with a later dedication: “To Joseph Joachim from his Friend George T. Smart 1862.” Paris, 1819–1838. Silversmith: partially erased, probably AM. Hallmark featuring the head of Michelangelo. H. 2.2 x W. 8.7 x D. 5.2 cm. Gross weight: 155.7 g. Related works - A similar snuffbox, Paris, 1819–1838, silversmith AM (unidentified), Christie’s auction, New York, “Important English, Continental, and American Silver,” lot 8. - A snuffbox with a similar design by Kirstein, Paris, 1819–1838, silversmith partially illegible, Millon auction, Paris, April 26, 2024, lot 378. Provenance Joseph Joachim (1831–1907), Austro-Hungarian violinist and conductor, to George Thomas Smart (1776–1867), English conductor, composer, and organist. History Jacques Frédéric Kirstein, born May 25, 1765, in Strasbourg and died June 4, 1838, in the same city, was a silversmith and engraver active in Strasbourg in the early 19th century. The son of silversmith Jean-Jacques Kirstein, he completed his apprenticeship with Georges Frédéric Imlin and with his father. He established his own business in 1795 and married Suzanne Barbe Kraemer (1774–1807), the daughter of silversmith Carl Philipp Kraemer, in Strasbourg that same year. In his father’s workshop, he learned metalworking and then turned to engraving. A skilled draftsman, he made rapid progress, and his reputation soon spread throughout Europe. Having taught himself through practice and observation, he never had the opportunity to travel to study the masterpieces of antiquity—a gap in his artistic education that he often regretted. Nevertheless, he embraced the classical style by designing monumental vases and bowls. Furthermore, he was an avid hunter and lover of hiking in the Vosges and the Black Forest; he readily drew his inspiration from nature, landscapes, and animals captured in the moment, as seen on our snuffbox. He used these picturesque subjects to adorn snuffboxes, medallions, and brooches, thereby pioneering an original approach. The Strasbourg Historical Museum notably exhibits his work, including the keys to the City of Strasbourg presented to Napoleon upon his entry into the city on January 22, 1806, upon his return from Austerlitz, and later to Charles X in 1829, to Napoleon III in 1852, and also to President Poincaré in 1918.