Five of seven valuable 18th-century snuff boxes stolen from the Cognac Jay Museum in Paris last year have been recovered.
Musées de Paris, the organization that manages several city museums in Paris, announced this week the return of the artifacts. “Following a thorough police investigation and with the assistance of the Paris Criminal Investigation Department, five snuff boxes of historical and heritage value have been found and are now safe,” the organization said in a statement. No information was provided on how or where the items were found.
Two of the five boxes found were on loan to the museum from the Louvre in Paris, two from the British Crown’s Royal Collection Trust and one from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Two others remain missing, one belonging to the Victoria and Albert Museum and one to the Royal Collection.
The Cognacq-Jay Museum houses an extensive collection of 18th-century art and objects collected by Ernest Cognacq, a French merchant and founder of La Samaritaine department store. After his death in 1928, he bequeathed his estate to the city of Paris.
In November 2024, the snuff boxes were on display at the museum as part of the “Pocket Luxury” exhibition, but were stolen by masked thieves in broad daylight. The boxes, once used to contain tobacco powder, are decorated with gold, gemstones, mother-of-pearl or enamel and are estimated to be worth at least €1 million.
