Attributed to Michel Redlin and Workshop North German, Danzig, circa 1680-90

The Messel Collection, Darmstadt, Germany;
by descent to Ludwig and Anne Messel, 104 Lancaster Gate, London, United Kingdom;
by descent to Leonard and Maud Messel, 104 Lancaster Gate, London, United Kingdom, until 1953;
by descent to Anne Messel, later Countess of Rosse (1902-1992), Birr Castle, Ireland;
by descent to William Brendan, 7^th Earl of Rosse (born 1936), Birr Castle, Ireland;
and thence by descent to the present owner

The condition of the casket is stable. There is dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. Amber is a relatively fragile material and so restorations, losses and breaks are to be expected in 17th-century amber objects. Parts of the casket are well preserved, notably the main interior panel with the elaborate ivory reliefs, which is in very good condition. There is some clouding and craquelure to the amber consistent with material and age. There are some minor chips, such as to the edges. There are restored breaks running through the sides of the body of the casket and through the lid. Each of the corners of both tiers of the lid are reattached and there are restorations. There are further reattachments to the rest of the casket, including the surmounting (probably white amber) figural group. There are further restorations, notably the upper edge of the back side of the lower tier of the lid (there are further restorations to this side). There are probable restorations to the wood core and the underside is lined with paper. Some of the orbs on the lid are a little loose. There are glue residues to the surface of the casket. The two ivory panels on the top and underside of the lower tier of the lid are lost. The lock and hinges are lost and there are small drilled holes for these mounts. The draw does not appear to function. Two flame finials are lost from the underside.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This superb amber casket can be attributed to the late 17^th-century Danzig amber worker Michel Redlin on the basis of a comparison with two further caskets and a drawing attributed to his hand. The first, a casket in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (inv. no. 3540), is of comparable height, measuring 22.2cm, and, like the present casket, is composed of a central chamber of two registers and a lid with a single register, surmounted by a sculptural group. Note, in particular, the very similar ivory reliefs, which lie against a black ground (possibly mica). The ivory relief representing a woman with flowers sitting beside a plant filled urn is near-identical to the relief on the Vienna casket bearing a woman with the same elaborate headdress, who sits by an urn with flowers. Characteristic of the ivory reliefs appearing on both caskets are the trees, with their distinctive leaves in high relief. In this respect, the reliefs are strongly reminiscent of the ivory carvings of the celebrated German sculptor Christoph Maucher (c. 1642-1706), who was active in Danzig for much of his career. The arrangement of the reliefs on the interior of the present casket is, in fact, particularly close to the famous Orpheus Panel by Maucher in a private collection (Seipel, op. cit.no. 64). Returning to the Vienna casket, note also the white ivory scrolls at the corners of the lower register; these compare closely with those on the present casket, and are characteristic of Redlin’s work.

A further comparison is found in a large casket dated to circa 1680 and attributed to Redlin, which was published in 2006 (Laue, op. cit., no. 44). The corners of this casket are adorned with orbs, which are analogous to those on the present example. Note also the capitals and bases of the columns, which are separately carved, and are close to their ivory equivalents in the present casket. Both caskets share similarities with a now lost drawing by Redlin dating to circa 1688-9 (Laue, op. cit. p. 60, fig. 43). This drawing shows a design for one of two caskets that were commissioned by Friedrich III, Elector of Brandenburg (r. 1688-1701) as a diplomatic gift for Tsars Ivan and Peter Alexeiyevich in 1688-9. Note, in particular, the amber columns (again apparently intended to have white amber or ivory capitals and bases), which are entwined with garlands. These garlands are near-identical to the gilt garlands seen on the columns of the present casket. Redlin’s drawing is a reminder of the prestige of amber caskets during this period, and their central role in diplomacy.

Amber objects made in Danzig, such as the present casket, are typically more ornate and sculptural than earlier Königsberg examples. They are characterised by the addition of ivory panels and figural groups, combined with panels of translucent orange amber (often engraved to the reverse), cloudy amber and white amber. The present casket is both rare and of superlative quality.

In the 17^th century, objects composed of amber were particularly prized by 17^th-century nobles for the rarity of their material and its natural properties. Finely worked amber caskets, games boards, cups and other objets d’arts could be found in the Kunstkammern of the wealthiest and most learned rulers in Europe and are recorded as having been sent as diplomatic gifts to such important figures as the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II and King Frederick II of Denmark.

The present casket and the preceding lot come from the collection of the Messels, a prominent German Jewish banking family who emigrated to England in the late 19^th century. Ludwig Messel moved to London in 1868, establishing the stock brokers L. Messel & Co. in 1873. He purchased Nymans in Sussex in 1890, where he created some of the most beautiful gardens in England. By family tradition the casket and charger were brought to England from Germany. They were certainly inherited by Anne Messel, who married the 6^th Earl of Rosse in 1935, becoming Countess of Rosse.  The Messels were a highly talented and creative family. Anne’s brother Oliver was the celebrated theatre set designer, who famously created interiors for the Dorchester hotel in the 1950s. The family amassed an important art collection, the centrepiece of which was the Messel-Rosse Fan Collection, bequeathed by Anne to the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge. The present casket and dish were, until last year, housed in the Music Room at Birr Castle, a masterpiece of Irish neo-gothic architecture.

RELATED LITERATURE
G. C. Williamson, The Book of Amber, London, 1932, pp. 26-44; M. Trusted, Catalogue of European Ambers in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1985; W. Seipel, Bernstein für Thron und Altar. Das Gold des Meeres in fürstlichen Kunst- und Schatzkammern, exh. cat. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 2005, pp. 64-66, 85-86, nos. 35, 64; G. Laue, Bernstein. Kostbarkeiten Europäischer Kunstkammern. Amber. Treasuries for European Kunstkammer, Munich, 2006, pp. 56-67, no. 44