Exceptional 18th-Century snuff box

The Royal House's preferred jeweller

Frederik Fabritius II became court jeweller himself in 1778 and was known for his extraordinary skills, shaped through his apprenticeship in Copenhagen and study trips across Europe, including Paris. His work was on par with the very finest in European goldsmith art, and he created his masterpiece in 1771: a gold elephant with diamonds for the “Order of the Elephant”. Frederik Fabritius II was highly productive and, throughout his career, delivered a large number of luxury gold and silver objects to the royal family and Danish nobility – from knee buckles, teapots, and clocks to signets, inkwells, and diamond jewellery.

From 1787 to 1823, he also served as assay master, which meant he was responsible for ensuring the gold and silver purity of all jewellers in the capital. For this purpose, he had his own assay master's hallmark, with which all lawful gold and silver in the city was stamped. This has contributed to the misleading, yet still existing term "Fabritius silver." Although silverware may bear this hallmark, it does not mean the object itself was designed and executed by a jeweller from the Fabritius family. The snuff box offered, however, is from Fabritius II's own hand.

The snuff box – A symbol of elegance and status

In the second half of the 1700s, snuff was a widespread luxury habit, and the snuff box became a functional and sought-after status symbol. Frederik Fabritius II specialized precisely in this type of object and delivered numerous pieces to the Danish court and the affluent bourgeoisie. The example offered is executed in gold of a very high karat – a full 20.5 carat – and preserved in its original case. The box represents traditional goldsmith craftsmanship of the highest caliber. Since its creation, it has been owned by Frederik Fabritius II and his descendants.

Extreme Rarity and Historical Weight

Works by the Fabritius dynasty itself are extremely rare, and today only about 15 objects by Frederik Fabritius II are known, of which few are gold snuff boxes. Several of these are in the collection of Design Museum Denmark. The rarity is due partly to snuff falling out of fashion and gold being easily converted into cash. In the decades after 1800, a series of historical events unfolded, including fires, bombardments, and loss of territory, which sent Denmark into an extensive economic crisis. This meant that many gold objects were melted down to raise capital.

With its exquisite quality and connection to one of Denmark's most significant goldsmith families, the small snuff box measuring 7.5 cm must be regarded as a collector's object of both national and international importance.