Satinwood Box
Summary
Public: Octagonal box, satinwood veneer set with five jasper medallions, containing steel, mother of pearl, glass and brass sewing accessories, protective satin pad and mirror. Private: Octagonal satinwood veneered box on four steel ball feet. Hinged lid, consisting of eight concave border panels rising to central octagonal panel, set with cut steel gems in two overlapping series of festoons. Central panel set with five solid white jasper medallions within cut steel gem borders. Central oval medallion depicts four figures at a sacrificial altar over lilac dip ground, with white scrolling leaf border over blue relief band. Mounted with scrolling border of circular and diamond shaped cut steel gems. Four small medallions with cut steel mounts surround central medallion depicting, clockwise from top, Priam begging Achilles for Hector's body, Hercules wrestling the Nemean lion, untitled scene of three soldiers at a gateway, Hygeia with a snake, all over dark blue dip. Small keyhole on front panel of box mounted in mother of pearl, key intact, underside of box lined with red and blue marbled paper. Inside box, sides lined with cream silk, bottom with cream velvet. Mirror set inside lid, lined with twisted blue and cream velvet tufted cord. Weighted circular pin cushion of cream silk with pink ribbon in bottom of box. Removable shelf lined with blue silk and cream velvet, with embroidered floral spray in pale pink, green and brown and shaped trays for sewing items. Four circular trays for ornate mother-of-pearl thread winders, trays set with mirrors and lined with blue and cream cord, two winders missing, one broken. Remaining trays lined with cream velvet. Items include narrow cut-glass bottle for scent, with gilt metal lid; mother-of-pearl tool handle with small gilt metal collar; mother-of-pearl thimble with two gilt metal bands and small inset oval panel; empty tray for small pair of scissors, missing; larger pair of scissors with ornate mother of pearl handles, steel blades and gilt metal detail; mother-of-pearl tambour hook handle with gilt metal collar, key and detachable lid; mother-of-pearl needle case with gilt metal lining, carved fans at top and bottom and inset enamel panel, decorated with single purple violet; mother-of-pearl handle with two metal fold away blades at one end, small carved spoon at other, set with enamelled violet; steel stiletto with carved mother-of-pearl handle in the shape of a spreading fan and small gilt metal collar; mother-of-pearl bodkin, broken, carved into spoon at one end. Octagonal protective cream satin pad sits on shelf, trimmed with border of twisted blue and cream velvet tufted cord and three loop handle at centre.
Object Name
Satinwood Box
Creators Name
Date Created
c 1820-1830
Dimensions
box: 10cm x 16.5cm
thimble: 2.4cm
pincushion: 2.6cm
medallions: 3.6cm x 6.9cm
bottle: 7.2cm x 2.1cm
blade: 0.9cm
bodkin: 0.4cm
key: 1.2cm
needlecase: 1.7cm
satin pad: 14.5cm
scissors: 3.2cm
shelf: 14.4cm
stiletto: 1.8cm
tambour hook handle: 1.3cm
tool handle: 1cm
winder:
accession number
1906.54
Collection Group
Place of creation
Etruria
Medium
