Gold boxes are some of the most expensive and exquisite boxes to collect. They range from snuff boxes to music boxes and would have been owned by the highest in society. Some would be fairly simple with etched designs while others consisted of miniature paintings, enameling and other decorative features such as gemstones.
Below are some examples and price guides of some gold boxes including a Swiss gold box by Alexander Magnin and an enameled gold box set with pearls.
A SMALL CIRCULAR GOLD ‘TORTOISE’ BOX AND COVER
TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)
One side of the circular box is delicately chased with a circular medallion of a tortoise with raised head walking amidst peony scroll. The other side is decorated with a circular medallion of a flower surrounded by scrolling, leafy sprays, and the upright sides with foliate scroll, all reserved on a fine ring-punched ground.
1 1/8 in. ( 2.9 cm.) diam.; weight 16.3 g
Sold for USD 47,880 at Christie’s in 2022
Qing: A Gold inlaid Carved Jade Round powder box. Height: 4cm Diameter: 5cm
Sold for US$600 at Jumbo Auction House in 2022
A 19th century Swiss vari-coloured gold box
Alexander Magnin, Geneva
Rectangular, the cover with a central navette-shaped chased panel of coloured roses on wavy engine-turning with coloured gold foliate spandrels and engraved borders, the base with similar borders, length 6.5cm, weight 55.9gms.
Sold for £2,000 at Bonham’s, in 2022
Tang Dynasty,Gold Character Playing Music Box
Sold for US$15,000 at Golden Hammer Auctions Limited in 2022
An Enameled Gold “Gothic” Snuff Box Set with Pearls, Probably Swiss, Circa 1845
shallow rectangular, the cover enameled with two girls seated on a terrace, with partly translucent landscape background, viewed through Gothic arches decorated with black enamel and set with half-pearls, the base engraved with a bouquet on engine-turned ground within champlevé black enamel border, the side with black enamel quatrefoils and buds, marked on rim of cover maker? ESC script, and eagle head
Sold for 6,300 USD at Sotheby’s in 2022
