GOLD BOXES STOLEN

At about 2 am on Tuesday 10 June 2003, Waddesdon Manor, experienced a break in and theft.

Over 100 gold boxes and other precious items, mainly 18th century French with some English were stolen. All of the items are unique and immediately identifiable.

We are offering a reward of up to £50,000 (subject to specific conditions) for the safe recovery of these objects and for information that will lead to the arrest of the people concerned.

If you do have any information that could assist us in locating these objects, please contact Detective Chief Inspector C Brown on 01296 396000 quoting ref: AL/8600192/03 or Mr Paul Britton of Cunningham Lindsay on 020 7816 1800 quoting reference 1811737.

If you require any further information please contact Fabia Bromovsky at Waddesdon on 01296 653200 or email fabia.bromovsky@nationaltrust.org.uk

The following is a list of the gold boxes that were stolen.

	119.1996; Van Blarenberghe; Miniature: Peasant scene; Late 18th Century; French Rectangular miniature gouache painting framed under glass in a gilt metal frame decorated with a border of enamel. The painting depicts a peasant/camp scene amongst trees; Foire de Bazans? Gouache painting in gilt metal frame with enamel 115 x 130
	354.1997; Van Blarenberghe: Miniature A river scene Late 18th Century, French Rectangular miniature gouache Gouache
	15.1999; Box Octagonal gold box with miniatures of various women on each side. Label inside box says that there is a similar example in the Huntington. An inscribed plaque gives the following information: This box belonged to M de Maurepas, Minister of Louis XV. Lid: centre Mme de Mamtenon, right Marquise de Montespan, left Duchesse de la Valliere Underneath: centre Horteusede Macini - Duchesse de Mazarin, right Duchesse de Fontanges, left Duchesse de Brissac Front: centre Mlle de Blois, right Duchesse de Never, left Duchesse de Sfoice niece of Marquise de Montespan Back: centre Mme de Ludre, right Countess de Grignan, left Henrietta de Coligny Ends: right Ninan de Lenclos, left unknown Gold box with painted miniatures
	2755; P1269; Gold box with spy-glass; Late 18th Century?; French Cubical shape, contains a spy glass, decorated with lacquered genre scenes Vernis Martin and gold 57 x 55 x 44 Cat no: 50
	2753; W1/41/6; Bonbonnière, Circular box of blonde tortoiseshell with parallel lines of gold; oval miniature of a bust length portrait of a young lady. gold, tortoiseshell, and a miniature Cat no: 101
	2756; W1/34/6; Snuff-box: Octagonal box with nine scenes representing the pleasures of the countryside by Mailliée. gold and miniatures Cat no: 91
	2723; W1/49/1; Louis Roucel Etui à tablettes; 1774-1775; French Rectangular, flat, gold étui with green enamel, oval miniature of a young lady and the words 'Souvenir' and 'd'Amitié' in diamonds. Gold, enamel, diamonds, hair and painting Cat no: 81
	2734; W1/53/3; Savignac; Snuff-box: 1772-1773, 1789?; French Oval box with six miniatures depicting French ports, and a scene of nude bathers, edged in blue enamel. gold, enamel, diamonds and miniatures; Cat no: 92
	2725; W1/49/3; Etui à tablettes; Late 18th Century, Early 19th Century; Swiss Rectangular, flat, gold étui enamelled in translucent violet; front contains an oval miniature of a girl holding a small dog. Gold, enamel, diamonds, hair and painting Cat no: 82
	2732; W1/52/6; Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin; Circular box; 1792 {and 19th Century}; French Circular box of gold enamelled in translucent blue on an engine-turned ground with a regular undulating pattern. The lid of the box is set with a minature portrait of a young woman leaning on the pedestal of a statue and holding a posy of flowers, the miniature is framed with diamonds and a border green-coloured gold chased with interlaced circles. The side of the box is divided into four sections by four tapering pilaster strips with a vase motif decoration set with diamonds. Around the upper edge of the side there is a border of festoons or garlands set with diamonds, the enamel behind enriched with foliage decoration in different coloured enamel. The base of the box is decorated with a floral cluster reserved in gold and translucent enamel. Gold and enamel and diamonds and gouache 42 x 84 diam Cat no: 102
	2727; W1/51/4; Snuff-box; 1758-1760; French Rectangular box with five panels of piqué shell and a miniature on top of a lady seated in a cane chair holding a black mask. Gold, piqué shell and painting Cat no: 83
	2719; W1/48/4; Possibly Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin; Bonbonnière; 1784; French Circular box of enamelled gold, lid contains a miniature under glass of a mother, small child and baby; the base contains a male portrait, probably the Marquis de Bombelles. Gold, enamel and mother-of-pearl Cat no: 103
	2726; W1/50/2; Snuffbox; 1773-1774; French Rectangular box with canted corners with 10 miniatures under glass depicting scenes from the Comediens Italien. Gold and painting Cat no: 93
	2728; W1/51/1; Snuff-box: Oval box with six miniatures depicting nymphs in the style of Boucher. gold and miniatures Cat no: 84
	2754; W1/34/7; Pierre-Victor-Nicholas Mailleé; Snuff-box; 1775; French Octagonal box with 10 miniatures under glass mounted in gold chased with a regular foliate freeze. The six main scenes come from the ballet Médée. gold, and miniatures 33 x 73 x 55 Cat no: 85
	2730; W1/51/3; Snuff-box; Circa 1800; Swiss Circular box of four colour gold chased with swags and medallions; miniature contains a family group of four figures with the man wearing an officer's uniform. Gold and painting Cat no: 105
	2733; W1/53/2; Snuff-box:; 1789-1790; French Octagonal box with ten miniatures depicting views of Benfica in Portugal. Lined with vernis Martin in brown and gold. Miniatures by Alexandre-Jean Noël. Gold, enamel, vernis Martin, painting Cat no: 95
	2720; W1/48/1; Alexandre Leferre; Snuff-box; Circa 1840, 1760-Circa 1770; French Rectangular snuff-box of six miniatures under glass based on Boucher compositions. Gold, enamel and gouache Cat no: 86
	2751; W1/50/3; Possibly Alexandre Leferre Box Rectangular box with canted corners with six miniatures depicting hunting scenes gold and gouache? 3.0 x 8.2 x 4.5 Cat no: 96
	2722; W1/48/5; Jean-Marie Tiron; Snuff-box; 1765-1766; French Rectangular mother-of-pearl box mounted in gold with eight oval miniatures of young girls. Gold, mother-of-pearl, paintings Cat no: 87
	2721; W1/48/3; Alexandre Leferre Snuff-box; Circa 1830-1840; French Rectangular snuff-box of tortoiseshell, mounted with six miniature paintings in gold frames under glass and having a gold thumbpiece engraved with flowers. On the lid is a painting of a double portrait, possibly Mlle. Capet with an unidentified man. Around the walls there are three scenes depicting Chinese subjects in the manner of Boucher, there is a fourth miniature in the same manner on the base. The painting on the back of the box shows a man being attacked by two others at moonlight, and is unlike any of the others in style. Tortoise-shell with gold, paintings and glass 57 x 90 x 65 Cat no: 88
	2718; W1/47/7; Bonbonnière; 1775-1781; French Circular box, dark blue with gold piqué stars and a tortoiseshell interior. Miniature is of a lady holding a basket of roses. Gold, tortoise-shell Cat no: 108
	2731; W1/52/5; Louis Moreau, Pierre Francois Drais Snuff-box; 1768-1775; French Elongated octagonal gold snuff-box mounted à cage in two coloured gold of yellow and green with ten miniature paintings under glass. The cagework is elaborately chased with a border of dogs tooth around the lid, with a side border of guilloche above a border of foliated scrolls. The eight corners of the walls of the box are chased with fluted Corinthian pilasters. The six main paintings depict scenes from Tasso's 'Gerusalemme Liberata'. The painting on the lid depicts the meeting of Tancred and Clorinda at the gates of Jerusalem. That on the base shows the battle between Tancred and Argante. The long painting on the front wall of the box depicts Erminia taking refuge with the Shepherds and on the back wall, Erminia tending to the wounds of Tancred. On the right wall is the Baptism of Clorinda, and on the left the Ghost of Armida trying to tempt Rinaldo. The four paintings on the narrow sides of the box represent landscapes. Gold, gouache paintings and glass 35 x 80 x 58 Cat no: 89
	2403; W1/42/2c; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe Miniature Regatta in front of the Castel S. Angelo; 1754; French Rectangular miniature painting in landscape orientation depicting the regatta in Rome before the Castel Sant' Angelo. It is based upon a piece by Vernet of c.1749 called 'Fête sur le Tibre à Rome'; following this model fairly exactly. The miniature is supported behind glass in a gold frame chased with scrolls. Gouache Cat no: 109
	2750; W1/42/4; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe Miniature A scene in a harbour with a regatta; 1750s; French Oval miniature gouache painting by Van Blarenberghe, under glass in a gilt metal frame. The painting depicts a scene outside the fortified gate of a harbour. In the left foreground is a barge with a striped canopy in which two girls are greeted by a lady and a gentlemen on the quay. In the distance on the left is a tall bell tower, seen rising from behind a large arch. The scene is close in style to that of the 'Regatta in front of Castel S. Angleo' Goauche painting under glass in gold frame 53 x 73 (Sight size) Cat no: 110
	2717; W1/46/6; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe; Snuff-box; 1757, Late 18th Century; French, Swiss Rectangular snuff box with six gouache miniature paintings, five by Van Blarenberghe, mounted 'a càge' in three coloured-gold of yellow, green and pink, under glass. The cagework is chased with borders of leaves, pearls, oval rosettes and fruit. The miniature on the lid of the box depicts a portrait of a lady shown holding a black face mask in her left hand, whilst her right arm rests on a plinth, there are trees in the background. It is based on a painting by Nattier, and is probably not by any of the Van Blarenberghes. The remaining five paintings are all signed and dated by Van Blarenberghe and depict architectural views. The scene on the base is taken from an engraving after an etching by Jean Lepautre (1618-1682). The four miniatures around the sides of the box show; an entrance to a northern French or Flemish town with a drawbridge, a garden with pleached hedges in the style of Le Notre overlooking a river, a small chateau with a vista between pleached hedges and finally a small château with a 17th Century facade between two mediaeval towers. Gold box with gouache paintings under glass 420 x 780 x 60 Cat no: 111
	2664; W1/46/1; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe Miniature View of Arras; 1760; French Oval miniature gouache painting by Van Blarenberghe, in a gold frame set with diamonds. The painting shows a view of the French town of Arras, before the cathedral, which can be seen on the left, was pulled down after the Revolution. In the centre of the view the belfry of the town hall rises and on the right the dome of the chapel of Sainte-Chandelle. In the foreground there are figures including two officers on horseback and other people walking. Gouache painting under glass in gold frame set with diamonds 25 x 40 (sight size) Cat no: 113
	2641; W1/43/3; Possibly Henri-Joseph Van Blarenberghe; View of the Port of La Rochelle; 1762; French Oval miniature gouache by Van Blarenberghe, set under glass in a rectangular gold frame. The painting depicts a view of the port of La Rochelle, though the artist has widened the actual opening to the sea. Gouache Cat no: 114
	2716; W1/46/5; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe Henry Bodson Snuff box; 1762-1763; French Oval snuff-box with six gouache miniatures under glass, mounted 'à cage', the miniatures painted by Van Blarenberghe. The miniatures all depict harbour scenes. That on the lid is of a northern harbour, with a log-hut on the right, from which flies a red flag with a white cross. The scenes depicted on the base and sides of the box are all represent southern harbours, and one can be identified as being the Port of Naples. Gold with gouache miniatures mounted under glass 44 x 82 x 64 Cat no: 115
	2648; W1/44/3; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe, Paul Robert Snuff-box; 1762-1763, 1778-1779; French Oval snuff-box with miniatures by Van Blarenberghe, mounted 'à cage' in two coloured gold of yellow and green under glass. The borders of the cagework are chased with a guilloche pattern on a matt ground. The six miniatures depict interior domestic scenes, and may illustrate particular moments from a contemporary play or novel yet to be identified. Gold with gouache paintings under glass 36 x 84 x 66 Cat no: 116
	2401; W1/42/2a; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe; Miniature The unveiling of the equestrian statue of Louis XV; 1763; French Rectangular miniature painting in landscape orientation, under glass in a gold frame. The painting depicts the unveiling of the equestrian statue of Louis XV, by Edmé Bouchardon, erected in the Place de Louis XV, (now Place de la Concorde). The statue can be seen in the foreground of the painting, standing on the plinth made for it by Pigalle. Around the statue the ceremony which took place on 20 June 1763 can be seen. In the foreground is the official procession with the duc de Chevreuse, Govenor of the city of Paris, and other representatives. In the background the frontage of the Hôtel de Lassay, on the opposite bank of the Seine, can be seen, and beyond that the dome of Les Invalides. The painting is supported behind glass in a gold frame chased with an elaborate inner border, with an outer border of repeated beads. Gouache painting under glass in gold frame 50 x 70 (Sight size) Cat no: 117, 136
	2402; W1/42/2b; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe; Miniature Fête in the Place Louis XV; 1763, Circa 1763; French Rectangular miniature painting in landscape orientation, by Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe, under glass in a gold frame. The painting depicts the Fête in the place Louis XV, which took place on 22 June 1763, two days after the unveiling of the equestrian statue of Louis XV. The view is taken from the south bank of the river Siene in Paris, looking north. In the centre of the painting the firework display can be seen taking place on a temporary structure in the form of a colonnade with a central arch, designed by Moreau-Desproux. The miniature is framed behind glass in a gold frame chased with two simple borders of repeated beads. 49 x 68 (sight size) Cat no: 118
	2635; W1/42/3; Van Blarenberghe; Snuffbox; 1767 {and later}; French A rectangular snuff-box of tortoise-shell, with the lining, hinge, bezel and thumbpiece of gold. The lid of the box is set with a miniature gouache painting under glass by Van Blarenberghe set within an elongated octagonal frame of chased gold with a palmette stamped in each corner. The painting shows a pastoral scene with figures including a flock of sheep with a dancing peasant girl, two men in uniform addressing another man and a woman accompanied by a group of children. The subject may be taken from a contemporary moralizing story or play, but this is not certain. Gold box with tortoise-shell and gouache painting under glass 26 x 82 x 62 Cat no: 119
	2642; W1/43/5; Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe; Miniature Actors on a stage; 1768; French Oval miniature gouache painting by Van Blarenberghe, framed in an oval gold frame with a suspension ring at the top. The scene depicts an open air stage in the country on which the traditional figures of the Italian Comedy are playing. There is an inscription on a banner which seems to advertise a performance of 'Arlequin et son Amour'. At this date the companies of the Italian Comedy were little more than fairground entertainers, and its is typical that their act should include a tightrope walker falling off the rope. Gouache painting under glass in gold frame. 41 x 33 (sight size) Cat no: 120
	2645; W1/44/4; Van Blarenberghe, Adrien-Jean-Maximilian Vachette; Snuff-box; 1771, 1815-1819; French Rectangular snuff-box with miniatures by one of the Van Blarenberghes mounted 'à cage' in gold under glass. The borders of the cagework are stamped with acanthus leaves, and there are four fluted ionic pilasters, one on each corner of the box. The miniature paintings record the journey of Princess Louise-Marie-Josephine, when she came to France in 1771 to marry The Palace the cathedral can be seen. On the left-hand side of the box is the scene depicting the Royal Party crossing the Alps by the Mon-Cenis pass. The right-hand side of the box shows the arrival of the Royal Party at the French frontier at the Pont de Beauvoisin. On the forward facing side of the box is the rest at Lyon in the evening of 4 May 1771, and on the back facing side a general view of the Palace of Fontainebleau Gold with gouache miniatures under glass 38 x 80 x 60 Cat no: 121
	2752; P1242; Van Blarenberghe, Pierre Francois Drais; Snuff box; 1774-1775; French Elongated octagonal box with six miniature paintings by one of the Van Blarenberghes, mounted 'a càge' in two-coloured gold of yellow and green, under glass. The cagework is chased with borders of acanthus and laurel, and there are four fluted pilasters, one on each of the canted corners. Four of the miniatures are identifiable. That on the lid depicts the start of the journey of the huge block of granite that was used for the base of Falconet's statue of Peter the Great in St Petersburg, ordered by Catherine the Great in 1766. The miniature on the base shows the block of granite arriving in St Petersburg, two years after its journey had begun. On the forward facing side of the box the miniature depicts Catherine the Great visiting a military academy, where she is seen examining plans and models of fortifications whilst troops parade outside, seen through open arches. The miniature on the right side of the box shows an interior of the Foundling Hospital established in Moscow in 1764. The scene on the reverse side of the box depicts a harbour with a pyramid and figures dressed in Turkish costume, which may represent the Crimea. The miniature on the left-hand side of the box shows troops on the march, with baggage wagons crossing a stream from which some of the soldiers drink. Gold with gouache miniatures under glass 36 x 76 x 56 Cat no: 122
	2643; W1/43/6; Paul-Nicolas Ménière; Snuff-box; 1778-1779; French Octagonal snuff-box with miniatures depicting ten different views of the port of Brest, including the founding of the Naval Academy Gold Cat no: 123
	2650; W1/45/1; Van Blarenberghe, Jean-Baptiste Fouache Paul Robert Snuffbox; 1777-1779; French Elongated octagonal snuff-box with eight Japanese black and gold lacquer panels on the sides of the box, and two gouache miniature paintings by one of the Van Blarenberghes, mounted 'a càge' under glass on the base and lid of the box. The cagework is matted gold decorated with a frieze of vine leaves and bunches of grapes executed in red and green translucent enamel. The miniature on the lid represents the Boulevard du Temple, a fashionable place for walking or driving in late 18th Century France. On the right of the painting, two troupes are seen performing on open-air stages. On the base the miniature depicts the 'Foire de Bezon', the annual fair held at the village of Bezon, outside Paris, on the Siene near Argenteuil. The fair was held on the Sunday after the feast of Saint Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners. The scene shows a view down an avenue of trees with crowds of people, and a coach drawn by two horses, laiden with people, in the centre of the foreground. Gold with lacquer, and gouache paintings under glass 32 x 82 x 64 Cat no: 124
	2651; W1/45/2; Van Blarenberghe, Adrien-Jean-Maximilian Vachette; Bonbonnière; 1781-1783; French Circular box or bonbonnière with five miniatures by one of the Van Blarenberghes mounted 'à cage' in two-colour gold of yellow and green, with a base of tortoise-shell. The cagework is chased with guilloche borders, and the side of the box is decorated with four pilaster strips chased with foliage. The base of the box is of tortoise-shell and the interior is lined with gold. The five miniature paintings depict scenes in the country, that on the lid showing a party of elegantly dressed people, with a lady riding a donkey. The four further scenes which run around the side of the box depict the following scenes; a village fair in front of a château, a water-regatta, a scene outside a country inn, and a dancing bear. Gold with tortoiseshell with gouache paintings under glass 30 x 78 diam. Cat no: 127

> next page