Renowned for his intricate creations, Balthasar Griessmann was a celebrated ivory carver in the 1600s. But despite his reputation, for many years Griessmann was known simply as Monogrammist BG--from the initials he used to sign some of his pieces. Only in the 1990s, thanks to a fortuitous discovery in the archives of Salzburg, Austria, were Griessmann's full name and biography established. Born in
