Böhmisches Trinkglas, Geschenk Beethovens für Franz Gerhard Wegeler

In September 1816 Peter Joseph Simrock (1796-1870), the son of Nikolaus Simrock from Bonn, travelled to Vienna. The young man's father was a good friend of Beethoven as both had played together at the Bonn court band. Peter Joseph Simrock visited Beethoven who asked him to take a letter and some presents for his friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler (1765-1848) back to Bonn.

Simrock brought Wegeler a letter from Beethoven as well as the portrait of composer Blasius Höfel which had been published two years earlier by the Artaria publishing house. Beethoven had complemented the copper engraving with a personal dedication for Wegeler. As a token of his friendship and gratefulness, he also sent his school day friend this drinking glass with a lid from Bohemia.(S.B.)