straight-sided form, the body set with five medals relating to Ludvig VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt within chased cartouches relating to hunting, drinking, eating and flowers, on three lion paw feet, the cover set with a further medal and surmounted by a crowned cypher for Ludvig VIII, the interior of the cover with inscription TRAU, SCHAU, WEM!, marked on base and cover

25 1/2 oz.; 793 g

height 8 1/2 in.; 22 cm

Catalogue note
Ludvig VIII (1691-1768) took over from his father as Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1739. He was a hunting enthusiast and would sometimes travel in an open carriage drawn by stags. He was a favourite of Empress Marie Therese (1717-1780) who intervened at the Imperial Court of Justice to prevent Darmstadt from bankruptcy (Hunter-Stiebel, P., Hesse: A Princely German Collection, Portland Art Museum 2015, pp.254-255). He died of a heart attack in his opera box at the age of 78.

The inscription inside the cover “Trau Schau Wem!” may be translated as “Take care in whom you trust”.