MAKER'S MARK S C WITH CROWN ABOVE, HANAU, CIRCA 1806, RETAILED BY CIOVINO ET FRERES TRUFFINO

Details

A GERMAN ROYAL JEWELLED ENAMELLED VARI-COLOUR GOLD PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX
MAKER'S MARK S C WITH CROWN ABOVE, HANAU, CIRCA 1806, RETAILED BY CIOVINO ET FRERES TRUFFINO
rectangular box with rounded corners, the sablé cover applied with brilliant-cut diamond-set initial of Louis Napoleon (1778-1846), King of Holland 1806-1810 within a shaped diamond-set frame, the sides and base set with sablé panels chased with masks and putti amidst scrolling foliage within opaque blue enamel borders, the flange engraved 'Ciovino et frères Truffino, Joailliers de la Couronne à Amsterdam.', in fitted red leather case, with accompanying race-card dated 1808

3 7/8 in. (100 mm.) wide
The accompanying race card when translated from Dutch reads 'List of horses / Present at the / race for the royal prince / Which takes place, upcoming, 2 September 1808, being the birthday / of His Majesty the King of Holland, / in Groningen / With approval of the direction / Will run', there then follows a list 19 horses and their riders

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Lot Essay

Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (1778-1846), King of Holland, Grand Duke of Berg and Cleves, Count of Saint-Leu, was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, the fifth surviving child of Carlo Buonaparte and his wife, Letizia, known to history as Madame Mère. His brother installed him on the Dutch throne on 5 June 1806, a responsibility which the new king took seriously, learning the Dutch language and endeavouring to serve as more than his brother's puppet. This independence led Napoleon to force Louis to abdicate on 1 July 1810, accusing him of putting Dutch interests ahead of France's. Louis spent the rest of his life in leisurely exile. He married Hortense de Beauharnais, the Empress Josephine's daughter, in 1802. Their second son became the Emperor Napoleon III. The race in Groningen was run in celebration of the King's 30th birthday with the gold box presented to the winner.

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