Gabriel Raoul Morel (Paris 1764 – Passy 1832) entered a first goldsmith’s mark, using a flower as device, on 22 Messidor, an V. He is subsequently recorded by Douët at 5 place Thionville in 1806. He entered the lozenge mark seen on this box (GRM below an ear) in 1812/13 when he moved to 3 rue du Coq-St-Honore, taking over the premises of Victoire Boisot, widow of Etienne-Lucien Blerzy. According to Grandjean, Alexandre-Raoul Morel who entered a mark in 1833 for la tabatiere or from 7 rue Neuve-des-Bons-Enfants, was the son of Gabriel-Raoul. Like A.J.M. Vachette, Morel was noted for the quality and variety of his gold boxes, at a time when most Paris goldsmiths practiced a simpler, restrained, style.
