A superb Grand Tour item, noted as being souvenir of Bade. We're quite sure this is an early Moser piece. I've had a bit of trouble finding my old photos of a glass item similar to it that I remember seeing in the Decorative Arts Museum in Prague, where a massive fine collection of Moser and Bohemian glass is housed. Will be there again in a few weeks, so will try to find out more about the artist for this particularly interesting early 1800s sugar casket. Oh, how I wish we had the original key to it. But at listing time I do not have a spare that will fit the working lock, sorry. And obviously if we find one we'll annotate the listing but it will not be the original key. The earlier sugar caskets are small like this one, many made in France, others like this made by artisans like Moser. Later ones get a bit larger in size. Remember, sugar was a very rich commodity in the late 1700s and confections were kept under lock and key like the fine treasures they truly were in that era. One kept sugar locked away from servants, and of course these old boxes are of high regard and highly collectable today. More so for this one being so unique and unusual. If you happen to be an expert on Bohemian glass, know the maker from your own research, will you please email me. I'm always happy for the sharing of info by our very sophisticated customer base online.
Very good to excellent condition throughout. I can find no hairlines or cracks, and no notable chips though it seems to me that among the rough-cut patterning style in which this one is made, there must be a tiny nip or two to be found somewhere. Please look over our images very carefully and see if you can locate one I didn't. It appears clean in person, but I can see our greatly enlarged image of the lid is showing a little bit of dust in the recesses I've missed, so I'll be cleaning this one again with a soft toothbrush, very gently, to be certain it is pristine as possible for our buyer. Sorry when I miss something light like this. The digital camera captures far more than the naked eye, AND enlarges it. The measurements are noted on the photos and also here: 4.5" widest, 3" front to back, 3.5" tall when closed. The blue is fabulous - beautifully crafted by hand, and the application of raised dots of red glass make it jewel-like. A most interesting little gem of a box, we'd date it c.1820-40, perhaps earlier but not later I think.
