Front cover of the WOLF family book

WOLF A FAMILY HISTORY OF BOXMAKING

It is 1834. The bustling German town of Hanau is brimming with goldsmiths and silversmiths, and the time has come for young Gottlieb Wolf to pick a trade. He chooses boxmaking and in doing so sets a family tradition in motion that will continue for more than 190 years. This is the story of the Wolf family and its boxmaking business, which has been passed down through six generations – surviving wars, recessions, pandemics and heart-breaking personal tragedy. Its spans three centuries and takes on a journey from Hanau to Sweden, the United States and Great Britain.

Discover how each generation made its mark on the business, and the world; from inventing the iconic pirouetting ballerina jewellery box, to designing for royalty and developing patented watch winders. With access to never-before-seen family archives, get to know the people behind the boxes, with searingly honest accounts of what life was like for the Wolf family at its highest and lowest moments.

This is the tale of how to create a legacy…and protect it.

inside pages of the WOLF family book
inside pages of the WOLF family book - close up of Philipp
inside pages of the WOLF family book - Ballerina musical jewellery box