Lot 63
63
A BELGIAN EBONY, IVORY, MALACHITE AND ENAMEL OBLONG CASKET, with turned column angles, the sides applied with four enamelled representations of the Order of Leopold, twice with the enamelled Royal Belgium Arms and two rectangular plaques one carved with the date '14 Août 1879', the other 1890,the hinged cover inset with two square enamelled maps, one of Africa, the other of the Congo Basin with a silvered portrait bust of Henry Morton Stanley, and engraved 'ETAT INDÉPENDANT DU CONGO TRAVAIL ET PROGRÈS', fitted with lock plate and key, the base inset with an ivory plaque with the names 'JEAN BAES ARCHITECTE, JUL. DILLENS SCUPTEUR, FERNAND DUBOIS, GRAVEUR, AUGUSTE DUFOUR, OFÈVRE, JEAN WARNIE, ÉBÉNISTE, BRUXELLES', the velvet lined interior containing a handwritten letter from Leopold II, King of the Belgians

Details
A BELGIAN EBONY, IVORY, MALACHITE AND ENAMEL OBLONG CASKET, with turned column angles, the sides applied with four enamelled representations of the Order of Leopold, twice with the enamelled Royal Belgium Arms and two rectangular plaques one carved with the date '14 Août 1879', the other 1890,the hinged cover inset with two square enamelled maps, one of Africa, the other of the Congo Basin with a silvered portrait bust of Henry Morton Stanley, and engraved 'ETAT INDÉPENDANT DU CONGO TRAVAIL ET PROGRÈS', fitted with lock plate and key, the base inset with an ivory plaque with the names 'JEAN BAES ARCHITECTE, JUL. DILLENS SCUPTEUR, FERNAND DUBOIS, GRAVEUR, AUGUSTE DUFOUR, OFÈVRE, JEAN WARNIE, ÉBÉNISTE, BRUXELLES', the velvet lined interior containing a handwritten letter from Leopold II, King of the Belgians
17¾in. (45cm.) long
Provenance
Henry Morton Stanley Esq., and thence by descent

Lot Essay

The letter is headed 'Brussels the 8th February 1886' and reads 'Dear Mr. Stanley, as a public mark of my esteem and gratitude, I send you the cross of Grand Officier of the Order of Leopold. At the same time I wish to express once more to you in these lines all my thanks for you great services on the Congo and to assure you of my unvarying friendship, Leopold'

The Order of Leopold, Grand Officer was sold along with other decorations and awards Christie's, 25th March 1986, Lot 1. As the British Government was not interested in developing the Congo, Stanley willing accepted the invitation from King Leopold II of Belgium. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 recognized the Congo Free State under the sovereignty of King Leopold

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