For the period in which this snuffbox was made, the close ratio between its width and depth was unusual, suggesting that Bergs chose to eschew contemporary fashions in favour of a form used by Parisian goldsmiths in the early 1740s. Its soft, almost cushion-like contours were perhaps deemed fitting for the basse taille enamel decoration of flowers that referenced contemporary Swedish needlework. Continuing the upholstery theme, it may be noted that the chased bands of leaves and flowers that define the form are reminiscent of passementerie. This snuffbox is of generous weight and is made of 21 carat rather than the 20 carat gold typically used by Bergs. This, combined with the idiosyncratic design, may suggest that it was a special commission – a possibility perhaps further endorsed by the fact it has neither state nor town marks, nor a date letter.
Johan Fredrik Oskar von Kraemer (1829 1904), the recipient of this box, was a scion of a noble Finnish family. Graduating as a naval officer in St Petersburg, von Kraemer participated in the Crimean War (1853–1856) and was wounded in Sevastopol. In 1896, at the end of a distinguished career, he was promoted Admiral and appointed a member of the State Council, an honour bestowed upon few of his countrymen. The Service Record reveals that in the course of his career von Kraemer received honours according to established rules and regulations: in 1894 he received the Order of Alexander Nevsky with diamonds and in 1904 the Order of Vladimir First Class. This snuffbox, which family tradition records as an imperial gift, is not listed in the Service Record and therefore must be considered as an unofficial rather than official gift. Ulla Tillander-Godenheilm has proposed a plausible context for such a presentation. Von Kraemer was held in high esteem by the imperial court and was particularly trusted by Empress Maria Fyodorovna (1847–1928). That on two occasions von Kraemer received an imperial party at Fridhem, his country estate in Finland, may be seen as an indication of the level of their intimacy. Von Kraemer’s loyalty to the Dowager Empress was such that when in 1898 she expressed the desire that he become the chairman of the central board of the Russian Red Cross, he acceded, despite his poor health and having to quit his relished retirement at Fridhem. Maria Fyodorovna could not have been unaware of the personal sacrifices he made on her behalf and so sought to mark her appreciation. As the snuffboxes held in the Imperial Cabinet were destined for official presentation, it is likely that she instead turned towards the imperial family’s private collection. While a snuffbox from a Nordic country might not have been deemed of significant interest in a Russian context, its appropriateness as a gift for von Kraemer was evident, and made all the more personal considering that the Dowager Empress was born a Princess of Denmark

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