Mid-19th century box with gold, and rebus in wax

A circular box in brown tortoiseshell with gold. The removable lid is decorated with a rectangular composition in wax and interlacing golden treads set in steel. The wax composition presents a rebus representing the bust of Napoleon as a Roman emperor under which appears "fut 1 G nid" translated by "fut un génie (he was a genius)". This box or snuffbox is characteristic of the production of the mid-19th century, combining the rebus craze and the new interest for the Napoleonic figure linked to the return of the ashes.
D: 2.95in. (7,5 cm) ; H: 0.98in. (2,5 cm).
Mid-19th century. French Restauration.