Ivory Snuff Box
(1946-127)
Project Hours: 22 total
Date: 1800
Dimensions: L: 4in W: 2in D: 2in
Materials: Ivory, paper, watercolour, copper, brass, faux tortoise shell
Object Description:
The snuff box is composed of an ivory base and lid with a faux tortoise shell interior. A copper band lines the perimeter of the lid. The centre of the lid has an oval shaped image of the world’s first military observation balloon 'L'Entreprenant' was used by the French Republican Army to observe the combined Austrian and Dutch army at Maubeuge on 26 June 1794. The painting is encased in glass and a metal frame. Glass is hazy and soiled on interior. Image is still visible.
Condition: The object is in poor condition overall, with the lid being in the worst condition. Losses to the lid are present. Ivory lids and sides are not yellowed and lightly abraded. Underside of base is yellowed. Sticker present on underside. Light abrasions throughout all surfaces of box. Sticker on interior of box.
Exterior: Losses and cracks to the ivory in the edge of the lid have been filled with Japanese tissue but is not fully shaped and smooth. The metal band around the lid had slipped so that the lid was resting on the box unsupported. The hot air balloon image is intact, but the glass is hazy and soiled on the interior. The metal band is also broken in one place and detached from the lid.
Interior: Faux tortoiseshell is intact and highly pigmented still. On the underside of the lid, there is a large amount of old adhesive tape which had discoloured and embrittled. Edge near loss in ivory is broken and has been reattached. Steps are present and reattachment is not flush to surface. Soiling throughout the edges of the box and abrasions present on surfaces. Verdigris present on hinge of box
Cleaning
The objective was not remove any finishes or colouration from the surfaces, especially the faux tortoiseshell interior. Stickers were removed and retained in plastic bags with object. Residues removed using IMS or white spirit. Ivory surfaces were cleaned via enzyme cleaning of base underside to minimise yellowing. The metal hinge and band were cleaned with IMS applied with cotton wool swabs to remove verdigris and tarnishing
Repair
The initial ivory fills were shaped, smoothed, and completed from previous treatment. Fills were tinted with acrylic paint and acrylic gloss medium varnish to aesthetically unify the exterior. The detached metal band was reattached in place using Paraloid B-72 (50% w/v solution in acetone). The faux tortoise shell interior losses and steps were filled with tinted Hxtal NYL-1 (2-part clear epoxy resin)
