Description
Offered is an important Austrian parcel gilt silver master salt by master Vienna silversmith, Stefan Mayerhofer. The engraved cypher indicates it was made for Ambassador from Hungary to Vienna Alajos Károlyi. This repousse salt salt cellar is hand chased with flowers, scallops & other decorative motifs. Inside is gilded. The salt, which holds 1/2 cup, is marked with the Vienna 13 loth mark dated 1840 & with 'A' for Vienna. The maker mark is effaced or poorly struck, but was identified by other examples identified having been sold at auction [see: Susanin's Auctions, Jun 20, 2019, Lot 2224333, "A Pair of 19th Century Austrian Silver Master Salt"]. This is solid silver & not weighted. Austro-Hungarian diplomatist, was born in Vienna on the 8th of August 1825. The greatness of the Hungarian family of Károlyi dates from the time of Alexander Károlyi (1668-1743), one of the generals of Francis Rákóczy II., who in 1711 negotiated the peace of Szatmár between the insurgent Hungarians & the new king, the emperor Charles VI., was made a count of the Empire in 1712, & subsequently became a field marshal in the imperial army. Aloys Károlyi entered the Austrian diplomatic service, & was attached successively to embassies at various European capitals. in 1858 he was sent to St Petersburg on a special mission to seek the support of Russia against Napoleon III. He was ambassador at Berlin in 1866 at the time of the rupture between Prussia & Austria, & after the Seven Weeks' War was charged with the negotiation of the preliminaries of peace at Nikolsburg. He was again sent to Berlin in 1871, acted as second plenipotentiary at the Berlin congress of 1878, & was sent in the same year to London, where he represented Austria for ten years. He died on the 2nd of December 1889 at Tótmegyer. [Source: 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica]. Condition is extremely good with some normal patina. 2.25" tall & 3.5" across. Weight: 187 grams. LOC: VS Check out some other silver holloware from around the world: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DCSILVERSHOP?ref=shop_sugg§ion_id=6783258 Or just browse the whole shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DCSILVERSHOP Angeboten wird ein bedeutendes österreichisches paketvergoldetes Silbermeistersalz des Wiener Silberschmiedemeisters Stefan Mayerhofer. Die eingravierte Chiffre weist darauf hin, dass es für den ungarischen Botschafter in Wien, Alajos Károlyi, hergestellt wurde. Dieser Salzstreuer aus Repousse ist handziseliert mit Blumen, Jakobsmuscheln und anderen dekorativen Motiven. Innen vergoldet. Das Salz, das 1/2 Tasse fasst, ist mit der Wiener 13 Loth-Marke von 1840 und mit „A" für Wien gekennzeichnet. Die Marke des Herstellers ist ausgelöscht oder schlecht geprägt, wurde aber durch andere Exemplare identifiziert, die auf einer Auktion verkauft wurden [siehe: Susanin's Auctions, 20. Juni 2019, Lot 2224333, "A Pair of 19th Century Austrian Silver Master Salt"]. Dies ist massives Silber und nicht gewichtet. Der Zustand ist sehr gut
