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Box and Lid

ca.1850-1878 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

George John Cayley (1826-78), son of the MP Edward Stillingfleet Cayley, was an eccentric.. Besides dabbling in poetry and writing a light-hearted book on travels in Spain, he was a gifted artist (he illustrated some of his own books) and a craftsman known for his metalwork. In 1862 he and the painter George Frederick Watts worked together to design the challenge shield for a shooting championship at Wimbledon. He was also one of the more left-wing Cayleys of the 19th century – and a keen tennis player.

In 1870 he went to live in Algiers to try and improve his health. There he played tennis as long as his health permitted — “longer, it might be said” according to recollections of him in a 1909 edition of his Spanish travel book. This was shortly before lawn tennis as we know it became established. During spells in England he worked with a carpenter and cabinet-maker, William Button Maslen from near Swansea, to develop new types of tennis racket. In January 1875 the Edinburgh Review, which is still in existence, published his article "Lusio Pilaris and Lawn Tennis", which was the first ever article on lawn tennis. "Lusio pilaris" is Latin for the game of tennis.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Box
  • Lid
Materials and techniques
Olive wood, turned and embossed silver.
Brief description
Box and lid, olive wood with a silver lid, England, made by George John Cayley, ca.1850-1878.
Physical description
Box and lid, cylindrical, turned olive wood with an embossed silver lid. The slightly concave silver lid bears the coat of arms of Cayley on a matted ground within a diamond shaped lozenge.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1.25in
  • Diameter: 1.9in
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Bequest of Hugh Cayley
Object history
Bequest of Hugh Cayley, the son of George John Cayley.
Subject depicted
Summary
George John Cayley (1826-78), son of the MP Edward Stillingfleet Cayley, was an eccentric.. Besides dabbling in poetry and writing a light-hearted book on travels in Spain, he was a gifted artist (he illustrated some of his own books) and a craftsman known for his metalwork. In 1862 he and the painter George Frederick Watts worked together to design the challenge shield for a shooting championship at Wimbledon. He was also one of the more left-wing Cayleys of the 19th century – and a keen tennis player.

In 1870 he went to live in Algiers to try and improve his health. There he played tennis as long as his health permitted — “longer, it might be said” according to recollections of him in a 1909 edition of his Spanish travel book. This was shortly before lawn tennis as we know it became established. During spells in England he worked with a carpenter and cabinet-maker, William Button Maslen from near Swansea, to develop new types of tennis racket. In January 1875 the Edinburgh Review, which is still in existence, published his article "Lusio Pilaris and Lawn Tennis", which was the first ever article on lawn tennis. "Lusio pilaris" is Latin for the game of tennis.
Collection
Accession number
M.569-1924

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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