Georg Wecker (circa 1550-1622/26) German, Dresden, dated 1592

Nicolas Landau, Paris

Brussels, Musée de la Maison d'Erasme, Anatomie des Vanités, 2008

A. Vanautgaerden (ed.), Anatomie des Vanités, exh. cat., Musée Maison d'Erasme, Brussels, 2008, p. 88

Overall the condition of the ivory is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is a small loss to the top edge of the lid. There are some further small nicks and scratches. There is some minor stable splitting to the ivory consistent with the material. Some of the pigment is lost in the engraving. There is evidence of the tip of the natural pulp cavity of the tusk at the base of the box.
"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."

Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, was an avid ivory-turner, as was his son Christian I, and is reputed to have made at least 165 pieces, of which only one has survived. Georg Wecker, son of the court turner Hans Wecker (d 1577), was an ivory turner from Munich who settled in Dresden in 1578, after the Wittelbachs of Munich reluctantly negotiated with Augustus to allow their talented lathe worked, Wecker, a two year stay in Dresden. He eventually became Augustus' teacher, which led to the development of the Dresden school of ivory turning and to Wecker's appointment as court ivory turner "for life" (Kappel, op. cit., p. 177). Ivory objects made by the Elector and his teacher were held in high esteem and ivories eventually became one of the largest group of objects in the Electoral collection. Accordingly, Augustus had a room furnished in the Grünes Gewölbe devoted to turned works in ivory.

Two signed, turned, covered, footed bowls by Wecker are in the Dresden Kunstkammer (D. Syndram et. al., The Baroque Treasury at the Grünes Gewölbe, Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden, 2006, p. 54) and are typical of Wecker's restrained and elegant style of carving.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Kappel, "Turned Ivory Works", in D. Syndram and A. Scherner (eds.), Princely Splendour: The Dresden Court 1580-1620, exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004