CIRCA 1900, GILT AND ENAMELLED FH. MARKS AND PATTERN NOS.

The current owner inherited the present lot from her father, Johnny Blunt. According to his memoirs, Blunt was gifted the glasses by Nicolas Frederick William, Grand Duke of Oldenburg in 1946, whilst working as an employee of the British military government in Schulensee, Northern Germany. Having been given orders to confiscate household goods from high-ranking Germans in order to re-distribute amongst occupying British forces and their families, Blunt approached Schloss Oldenburg. Upon learning that a carpet he had selected for redistribution had been a gift from the Duke of Wellington to the Archduke's grandfather, Blunt agreed that the Archduke should retain it. The enamelled glasses were then given to Blunt as a token of his gratitude.