Antique Victorian Cobalt Blue Glass Patch Box

A richly coloured antique Victorian cobalt blue glass patch box. Crafted from hand blown glass and featuring Piazza San Marco in Venice hand painted in gilt paint. Encircled by hinged plated brass mounts and an S shaped clasp at the centre. In good condition with some wear mainly to the mounts, but no chips or cracks to the glass. Gilt paint has dulled with time. Patch boxes were often used to store small fake beauty spots, very fashionable between the 18th and 19th centuries. These bright colorful boxes were often given as a sign of love or friendship, and were very decorative H:5 x D:8.5cm