Johann Christian Barbé, gold snuff box with birds, St Petersburg, circa 1835

Width 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm)

Inv. no. ab-0313

The cover of this gold snuffbox is centered with a figure of a swan within profuse, scrolling ornament. If you look closely, you can find exotic birds, including parrots and cranes, perched within the flowering vines. It was made by the German-born goldsmith Johann Christian Barbé (Ivan Ustinovich Barbe, 1780-1843) who arrived in St. Petersburg from Frankenthal in 1794. Like many others, he was undoubtedly attracted by the vast wealth of the Russian court and the many financial opportunities available there. The young man secured an apprenticeship with goldworker August-Wilhelm Reinhardt and by 1804 had attained the status of a master goldsmith. Barbé was undoubtedly an ambitious, determined young man brave enough to undertake the lengthy journey to a foreign land on his own and at only fourteen years old. These qualities led to great success and wealth. In 1820 he was able to buy the building at the ultra-exclusive address of Bolshaya Morskaya 15, which remained in his family until the early 20th century. Many jewelers had shops there including, later, Fabergé.

The box is a particularly fine example of sablé goldwork, in which Barbé excelled. Sablé can be translated as ‘sand’ or ‘sandy’ and goldsmiths using this technique created a matte, sand-like and slightly darker background which made the brighter polished areas more prominent. Barbé combined the two surfaces to great effect on a grand military presentation cup awarded to General-Adjutant Count Stepan Apraksin (1792-1862) now in the collection of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens. The source of the ornament on this snuffbox might be traced to Barbé’s own background: it greatly resembles German Renaissance ornament prints which he might have studied during his apprenticeship with the German-speaking Reinhardt.