This box was one of the many pieces of French decorative art bequeathed to the V&A by John Jones in 1882. Jones made his fortune as a military tailor, kitting out the armies of the British Empire. He was also an avid collector of French furniture and porcelain, particularly of items made between about 1660 and 1800.
This box stood under a table in his dining room at 105 Piccadilly, which was decorated with the same marquetry of turtleshell with other materials such as brass, copper or pewter and mother-of-pearl. Jones greatly admired this difficult and decorative form of veneering furniture, known as boulle marquetry after the French cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle. It had first become fashionable just before 1700 and this box was probably made around that time, although the gilt brass legs were added in the middle of the 19th century, possibly not long before Jones bought it.
Physical description
Box or casket of oak and mahogany (base) veneered with ebony inlaid with turtleshell, tin, brass, copper, horn and mother-of-pearl. All inlays with engraved decoration filled with black mastic (possibly originally blue); the upper and lower edges of the box are set with gilt-bronze mounts and the whole is raised on cast, gilt-bronze legs, assumed to have been
added in the nineteenth century.
The box is rectangular, with a concave edge to the hinged lid. The lid shows a marquetry panel of symmetrical scrolls and small grotesque figures and birds, centreing on the figure of Minerva (with an owl at her feet) in a pink headdress and armour, part of which she holds in her right hand, with a long spear held in her left, standing on a trellised dais. The panel is framed with a flat gilt-brass border chased with acanthus leaf decoration. The concave edges of the lid are set wtih boulle marquetry panels showing symmetrical scrolls with grotesque figures and animals, the corners set with flat, chased, gilt-brass leaf-shapes giving the appearance of mounts. The front and side panels are similarly decorated with symmetrical scrolling patterns with sphinxes, grotesque figures and animals, all in boulle marquetry. The top and bottom edges of the box are set with gilt-brass mouldings, with repeating formal floral motifs. The whole box is raised on small, tapering gilt-brass legs in the form of inverted balusters, with cast and chased decoration.
The inside of the box is lined with padded pink watered silk, possibly originally crimson. The front panel of the box can hinge down. A button hidden beneath the silk releases a secret compartment beneath the apparent base of the box.
Place of Origin
Paris, France (box with marquetry panels, made)
London, England (legs, probably, made)
Date
1690-1710 (made)
1840-80 (made)
ca. 1690-1710 (made)
ca. 1690-1710 (made)
19th century (made)
19th century (made)
19th century (made)
19th century (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Oak and mahogany, veneered with ebony, turtleshell, brass, mother-of-pearl, pewter, copper and horn, with mastic highlighting engraving, and gilt-brass mounts
Dimensions
Height: 32 cm, Width: 51 cm, Depth: 41.5 cm, Height: 17.2 cm Height without legs
Object history note
This box entered the V&A as part of the John Jones collection, bequeathed in 1882. Its provenance before entering Mr Jones' collection is not known.
Historical context note
This box's unusual combination of a fall-front with a secret drawer in the base suggest that it was designed as a secure writing box. Writing boxes held writing materials such as pens, ink, sponges and pounce. The drawer at the base of this box could have held documents, the whole box locks to prevent it being opened by anyone other than its owner.
Descriptive line
Box or casket; carcase of oak, veneered with tortoiseshell, brass, mother-of-pearl, pewter, copper and horn, Paris, France, ca.1690-1710, with 19th century legs.
Labels and date
[Label text by Peter Thornton]
BOX FOR A TOILET SET
FRENCH (Paris); 1700
Boulle-work marquetry with brass, mother-of-pearl, and tortoiseshell backed with various pigments, with brass mouldings.
This must originally have had small stud-feet. A hidden drawer underneath presumably once held a dressing-mirror.
Jones Collection [ca. 1980]
Materials
Silk; Leather; Brass; Copper; Oak; Mahogany; Mother-of-pearl; Ebony; Pewter; Horn; Tortoiseshell; Gilt-brass; Mastic
Techniques
Gilding; Casting; Chasing; Veneering; Cabinet making; Flat chasing; Boulle marquetry
Subjects depicted
Scrolls; Arabesques; Grotesques
Collection code
FWK
