A four-colour gold and enamel presentation snuff box, probably Hanau, circa 1820

rectangular, the lid inset with a gold plaque chased in the manner of the Kirstenstein family of Strasburg with a martial encounter between Turk and Austrian, sides and base engine-turned within coloured gold shell and flower borders, maker's mark rubbed, second letter W, the rim inscribed for the retailer: Hawley 75 Strand London

With presentation inscription: The Gift of / Ellen Turner / to / Thomas Grimsditch Esq^r / as a token of gratitude / for having by his / Promptitude, Zeal, and Ability / rescued her from a Conspiracy / Unexampled for Atrocity / in the / Annals of History'.

Miss Turner, 'a young lady of lively disposition, of quick perception, and also of great personal beauty', had been abducted from her school in 1826 at the age of 15 by E.G. Wakefield and his brother.They then managed to persuade her into marriage at Gretna on the pretext that it would save her father, a wealthy Macclesfield silk merchant, from bankruptcy. Rightly fearing pursuit, the Wakefields fled to Calais where they were overtaken by Miss Turner's uncle and the family lawyer Thomas Grimsditch to whom Miss Turner was returned intact. The marriage was annulled by Act of Parliament and the perpetrators jailed.  

Excellent condition throughout.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The dramatic story of the abduction, which may sound like a Regency romance but which actually took place in 1826, was widely reported in the newspapers of the time throughout Europe and even as far afield as New York. It turned out later that this was not the first time Gibbon Wakefield had entrapped a young female into marriage but on the previous occasion the family had accepted the fait accompli. The Newgate Calendar recounts that in the case of Ellen Turner, the plotters had gone to immense trouble to fabricate a story with enough supporting detail and knowledge of the family circumstances to be accepted by the teenage girl who truly believed that she was sacrificing herself to save her father. The Turners were, however, tougher than the previous victim's family and were prepared to accept the inevitable scandal so long as they could recover their daughter. She made it quite clear that she had only been taken against her will 'by fraud and stratagem' while Wakefield, perhaps afraid of a longer sentence, assured her uncle and the court  that she was still 'a pure and spotless virgin'. When the case came to trial at the Old Bailey, the evidence of Davy Laing, the Gretna Green blacksmith who had performed the wedding ceremony, that the bride had been more than willing, was completely rebutted. The 'very old, very deaf and very illiterate'  witness was shown up by the prosecution as a 'vulgar and illiterate trafficker in clandestine marriages' and the Wakefields were each sentenced to three years in gaol. Miss Turner is said to have married and died young.