A gold Royal presentation snuff box, Alexandre-Raoul Morel, Paris, circa 1845

Given by Louis-Philippe, King of the French, to John Wilson Croker, 1850, the box containing a paper inscribed: 'This box was given to me at Clare Mount by Louis Philippe shortly before his death - He saying 'Je puis dire à mon ami - N'est ce pas?' J.W. Croker Jan^y 1852;

thence by descent through Croker's adopted daughter, Nony, who married George Barrow, eldest son of Sir John Barrow, second secretary of the Admiralty under Croker

The recipient of the presentation box, John Wilson Croker (1780-1857, fig. 1), was an Anglo-Irish statesman and author. Following his graduation from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, he developed a strong interest in the French Revolution and collected a large number of documents and records on the subject, which are now in the British Museum in London. He published a number of satires and critical pieces relating to Irish politics, and soon pursued a parliamentary career. In 1808, Croker entered parliament as member for Downpatrick and was introduced to the Duke of Wellington just after his appointment as commander of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula. Croker and the Duke of Wellington remained close friends until the death of the latter in 1852;

Sotheby's, 23 November 2004, lot 37