ATTRIBUTED TO HEINRICH TADDEL (1714-1794), DRESDEN, CIRCA 1740

The attribution to Taddel is based on the comparison to a box of identical form and with similar decoration in the Hermitage, illustrated by A. Kenneth Snowman, Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes of Europe, London 1966, pl. 499-500, signed Taddel à Dresde and Sadier. For many years Heinrich Taddel was one of the most influential members of the artistic community in Dresden. He is referred to as a 'Hofgalanteriearbeiter', a court manufacturer of fancy goods from 1767 onwards and was Grand Master of Dresden's gold-smiths' guild from 1739. As one of Dresden's leading goldsmiths he held the position of inspector of the Green Vault 1748-1794 and also served as a privy chamberlain. For an essay on Taddel and Johann-Christian Neuber in Dresden see Jutta Kappel, Going for Gold: Craftmanship and Collecting of Gold Boxes, T. Murdoch and H. Zech (eds.), Victoria and Albert Museum, Sussex, 2014, Chap. 8, pp. 107-121.