Metzsch Bayreuth Snuff Box with Birds and Insects

This is a really fun porcelain tabatiere / snuff box made in about 1725 and decorated at about the same time by Johann Friedrich Metzsch , a Hausmaler who owned a workshop in Bayreuth . I always knew it was a very early peice because of the mounts and quality but just recently figured it out when I saw two other peices by him with identical flwers and a very similar parrot! So I was thrilled to say the least. I don't know of any other snuff box out there decorated by him! The superb quality of the painting suggests he himself painted this plate. Of all the Hausmaler pieces his work seems to be the hardest to find and honestly also one of the best! J.F. Metzsch painted mostly Meissen blanks aand that is the case here as well. This is really a superb example of his work in the typical colors and style - one of the best I have seen by him! The bottom sides of the box is superbly hand painted with an amazing scene on one side of a parrot standing on a table with a chess board by his side, a superb vase filled with flowers next to the chess board and another bird on the other side of the table. The handles on the jugs and vases are baroque, not rococo, so that fits in with my dating and the little Chinoiserie scene on the vase is charming as can be - definitely hinting at Meissen there. The quality of the scenes is amazing and really fun and colorful. The sides of the box have some fun insects on them with the back side having a floral arrangement held up by strings also of superb quality. The underside has a nice floral design to it as well. The "white " areas are slightly yellowish in ground color (not from restoration!). The top of the box also has a nice table scene on it with a large floral arrangement with a bird sitting on top, a flute next to the basket with some sheet music next to that and a pitcher at the end of the table. Gold trim all along the outside near the edge of the lid. The mounts are silver and really early - the only other ones that I have seen are on a St. Cloud pre 1750 snuff box I own. The inside is gilded completely. The box doesn't close anymore because the top and bottom on one side don't glide over each other anymore. All in all a very special snuff box of superb quality by a top notch maker and decorator. It is in good condition and displays perfectly but the bottom part has two minor chips to the inside edge, a little paint flaking to some leaves and age appropriate wear to the glaze of the underside while the top part has some chipping along the inside edge with two large flat chips to the one side as shown. It doesn't affect the top view but can be seen from the back edge as shown. There are no marks except for what looks to be an impressed or incised mark on the lower right hand corner of the lid. The box is about 1.25 inches tall, 2.75 inches wide and 1.875 inches deep. Please email me for more information or photos.