Extremely fine Louis XVI gold enamelled tabatiere. Red and yellow gold, partially enamelled. Oval body with fine wave and dot engine-turning on all sides. Hinged lid, sides and base decorated with olive green translucent enamel. Surrounding frame in the form of stylised floral wreaths of fine polychrome and white opaque enamelled foliage and dot frieze. The wall divided by antique green vase decoration. Central, high oval enamel plaque on the lid with scenic, antique-style depiction. Marked with Hanau prestige marks in the style of French foam marks, such as those of the Parisian tenant Julien Alaterre. Master's mark Les Frères Toussaint (active ca. 1752). Weight approx. 170 g. H. 2.2 cm. 8 cm x 6 cm. Provenance: from the important collection of the Frankfurt banking family von Bethmann, which grew over generations. This tabatiere is a typical example of 18th century gold boxes made in the style of the Parisian and Swiss goldsmiths; Paris was considered the centre of European goldsmithing at this time. However, Hanau also developed into an important production centre for gold tabatiers in the 1760s, partly due to the influence of French goldsmiths in Europe and a large number of goldsmiths of Huguenot origin who moved to the region, and was able to keep up with the high quality and fine design of France. Today, works by the Hanau goldsmiths can be found in renowned museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Musée Cognac-Jay in Paris and the Thurn und Taxis Princely Treasury in Regensburg. Charles (active 1720-1790) and Pierre-Étienne Toussaint (active 1726-1805) came to Hanau from Berlin and founded their company Les Frères Toussaint in 1752. Comparable gold enamel boxes by the brothers can be found in the Metropolitan Museum in New York (inv. no. 17.190.1173) and in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (inv. no. 911-1882). Cf. Lorenz Seelig, "Eighteenth Century Hanau Gold Boxes" in the Silver Society of Canada Journal, p. 36, figs. 3, 4. A very fine German Louis XVI gold snuff box by Les Frères Toussaint (active since 1752) with an enamelled plaque. Hanauer prestige marks in the manner of French hallmarks. Master's mark. German. Hanau. Around 1780.