The circular box composed of two tortoiseshell sections, mounted in yellow gold, the lid embellished with a micro mosaic scene depicting a Greek theatrical mask 'en grisaille' upon a blue background, within a black and red border, mounted in Paris circa 1798 - 1809 according to the French assay marks. Also bearing a Parisian workshop mark.

Note:
A beautiful homage to Ancient civilisation, the micro mosaic began to appear in Rome around the middle of the 18th Century.  Giacomo Raffaelli is largely regarded as the godfather of the decorative miniatures that were inspired by the mosaics of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.  For this reason, these micro mosaic plaques often depicted scenes from ancient mythology or well-known ancient statues, as well as allegorical scenes popular in the 18th Century. The plaques themselves would have been bought in Italy by foreign travellers and taken home to be mounted either in jewels, boxes or frames.  This is certainly the case with this box which was mounted in Paris. As the plaques themselves were signed to their reverse, it is impossible to see if this particular one was by Studio Raffaelli but it is certainly comparable in quality and subject matter.