Dublin circa 1790 by James Kennedy (active 1768-1803)
A George III Irish sterling silver snuff box

Of elliptical form with a hinged lid, pin deficient. Bright cut engraved decoration including festoons and a star elliptical cartouche with contemporaneous initials CM in flourished cursive script, the upper section with a crest of out of a ducal coronet a bull’s head with a baron’s coronet above. The lid with maker’s mark I.K twice and Hibernia, the base with town mark and Hibernia only.

Length – 7.8 cm / 3 inches

Weight – 56 grams / 1.8 ozt

The crest and initials are for Baron Massy of Duntrileague in the County of Limerick (Est. 4 Aug 1776)

The initials may refer to Catherine Massy (d. 1791) who in September 1760 married Hugh Massy, 2^nd Baron Massy (1733-1790), son of Hugh Massy, 1^st Baron Massy (1700-1788) and his first wife Mary Dawson.

Another snuff box by this maker, maker’s mark only, was sold these rooms 11 June 2021, lot 2 (£400 incl. prem)