Fa. Mayerhofer, Vienna ca. 1830/ 40, copper, silver-plated, ivory handles and knob, height 15 and 9 cm, jug with maker’s mark, both parts engraved on the base "Dehne", ivory with drying cracks, (Hr) ASA

Provenance: Former Royal and Imperial Court Confectioner Demel (Dehne)

Demel is one of the best-known Viennese confectionery shops at Kohlmarkt 14 in the first district of Vienna. Demel was a Royal and Imperial Court Baker and retains the title to this day.

The Wüttemberg confectioner, Ludwig Dehne, came to Vienna in 1778 and opened a pastry shop in 1786 on Michaelerplatz. Dehne himself died in 1799 of tuberculosis and his widow got remarried to the confectioner Gottlieb Wohlfahrt. In 1813 they bought the house at 14 Michaelaplatz. Despite countless innovations, such as ice cream, the shop’s finances could not be reconstructed. After Gottlieb Wohlfahrt’s death in 1826, the widow and her son from her first marriage (August Dehne) took over the business and manged to turn the finances around. August Dehne became very rich and invested his money in land. As August Dehne’s son pursued a career as a lawyer, Dehne sold the shop in 1857 to his first helper, Christoph Demel.