MARK OF CARTIER, PARIS, CIRCA 1920

Two comparable boxes each carved from a single piece of agate and similarly mounted with diamonds and sapphires in platinum are illustrated in Stephen Harrison, 'Feminine Elegance: Jeweled Accessories for the Modern Woman,' Jeweled Splendours of the Art Deco Era, The Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan Collection, Thames & Hudson, New York, 2017, pp. 72-73. The sleek forms embellished solely with abstracted modern clasps demonstate the Russian influence on French hardstone box designs, in which exquisite workmanship highlights the purity of the material.