Toothpick Case
1780 (made)
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| Place of origin |
Robert Henley Ongley, first Baron Ongley (c.1720-1785) sat as the Whig member of Parliament for Bedford. The inscription on this case commemorates his death; however, the fact that it also bears his arms and monogram would suggest that it was originally his possession, and only inscribed following his death.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Enamelled, champlevé, engraved gold, set with diamonds, mirror and plaited hair under glass |
| Brief description | Enamelled, champlevé, engraved gold, set with diamonds, mirror and plaited hair under glass, London, ca.1780 |
| Physical description | An oval, jeweled, enameled gold toothpick case, the cover and base painted in translucent blue over an engine-turned ground edged by opaque white with gold flowers and translucent blue within gold borders. The cover is set in diamonds with the initial ‘O’ beneath a baron’s coronet bordered by laurel and within an oval frame; the base is set with plaited hair under glass within an oval medallion. The walls have champlevé enamel foliage around white “pearls.” There is a diamond thumbpiece. The interior of the lid is set with a mirror; the interior of the base is engraved with a coat-of-arms and a motto, ‘MIHI CURA FUTURI.’ |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: A la Vieille Russie, New York. |
| Summary | Robert Henley Ongley, first Baron Ongley (c.1720-1785) sat as the Whig member of Parliament for Bedford. The inscription on this case commemorates his death; however, the fact that it also bears his arms and monogram would suggest that it was originally his possession, and only inscribed following his death. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.356:1, 2-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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