bonbonniere

Summary

Public: A box modelled as the head of a woman wearing a crown, around the base of the crown is a circular, brass, hinged mount, the head terminates at the neck to form a flat, standing base. Enamel on metal with the woman painted in natural colours; the base of the box is painted with a flower spray and single blooms. Private: A box modelled as the head of a woman wearing a crown; around the base of the crown is a circular, brass, hinged mount; the head terminates at the neck to form a flat, standing base The skin of the woman is painted ivory white with pink; she has dark brown hair with bands of pearls in it and a blue rosette at the back; her crown is lined with crimson and is crossed by yellow, jewelled bands with four fleur-de-lys set between them; her earrings are of a pearl-coloured teardrop shape. The base of the box is decorated with a flower spray and single blooms.

Display Label

Gallery text panel Harold Raby Collection Harold Raby was charmed by English enamels finding them 'dainty and pretty, quaint and curious'. As a boy, he inherited a tiny, battered enamel box which inspired him to collect over 400 more items during the first half of the 20th century. These enamels were mainly made in Staffordshire and were fashionable from about 1750 to 1820. For Raby, they evoked a lost age of elegance and gave an insight into outmoded social customs. A local bank manager, Raby only had moderate means but he tried to buy examples of every type of object produced by the short-lived English enamel industry. He acquired boxes for face patches, snuff and tobacco, candlesticks, perfume bottles, tea caddies....... He even risked air raids to attend sales in London. Eventually, boxes outnumbered every other item and gave his collection an obsessive quality.