A French silver gilt three division stamp box by Boin-Taburet, the hinged lid with central roundel displaying a Trophy of Love - the symbols of love comprising Cupid’s bow and arrows, a pair of doves and a hymeneal torch (named after Hymen, the Greek goddess of marriage), within borders of repeating husk motifs and acanthus leaves to the corners, against an engine-turned ground, numbered ‘170365’, with French silver standard mark for 950, lozenge maker’s mark and signed ‘BOINTABURET A PARIS’, together with a handwritten note stating the box was a gift from the future French Prime Minister Raymond Poincaré to the Duchess of Rutland in 1880, dimensions 9 x 6 x 1.5cm. £1,500-£2,000

The French handwritten note reads:
‘Presentée à la Duchesse de Rutland par Raymond Poincaré en 1880, lors d’une visite d’Edward VII’ , translating as:
‘Presented to the Duchess of Rutland by Raymond Poincaré during a visit by Edward VII’.

Janetta Hughan Manners, Duchess of Rutland (1836-1899) was the second wife of John James Robert Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland (1818-1906).

Raymond Poincaré (1860-1934) was a French statesman who served three times as 58th Prime Minister of France and as President of France from 1913 to 1920.



The Boin-Taburet metalwork firm was established in 1873 by George Boin and Emile Taburet, and are credited with the revival of Louis XV rococo style silverware in 1880s Paris. The firm won a major award at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Emile Taburet and Georges Boin worked together until 1900 when Georges Boin associated with the silversmith Henry and created 'Boin and Henry' silversmiths.