A 14k gold royal Bavarian presentation snuff box
Moulded rectangular box finely decorated with Biedermeier relief appliques in four shades of gold depicting Bacchic themes such as a barrel dated "1811", grape vines and grapes. The polished base with a wreath of fruit and scrolls. Inner rim of the lid hallmarked: "Bey Seethaler u. Sohn". Minor dents to the surface. 1.8 x 9.0 x 6.3 cm. Weight 153.55 g.
Josef Seethaler & Sohn, around 1845.
Enclosed is a pale photocopy of a lost letter from King Ludwig I of Bavaria to the Mannheim restaurateur and wine merchant Carl Möhl with approximately the following wording: " [...] Carl Möhl [...] I have received the letter of the 20th of May in which you ask me, in view of your health circumstances, to relieve you of the further care of my [...] wine store kept in Mannheim. I therefore request you by the present [letter], which you will receive from the hands of my Consul Bassermann, to hand over to him the keys to the said wine store. I have always recognised with gratitude the care of your eternal father, as well as yours, for this my wine storehouse, to which you received this golden box, which I had already intended to give to your eternal father, as a small token of it, and I gladly repeat this herewith together with all sympathy for your suffering state of health. Your well meaning Ludwig
Munich, 26th February 1845.
"
Provenance
Gift of King Ludwig I of Bavaria to Carl Möhl in 1845 in recognition of his services to the royal wine depot in Mannheim; Family ownership, Belgium.