bonbonniere
Summary
A box moulded in the form a Neptune's head with a fierce expression and flowing hair and beard. The deep hinged lid forms his crown, cut off at his chin to form a standing base. Neptune is depicted with a ruddy complexion and black hair. The top of the lid is decorated with a blowing whale and various shells. The bottom of the neck is painted with small bunches of flowers.
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.
Object Name
bonbonniere
Dimensions
object: 7.8cm
accession number
1958.420
Collection Group
Place of creation
South Staffordshire
Medium
Credit
Harold Raby bequest
Legal
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