Scent Casket
ca. 1749-1759 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This casket is for scent or other cosmetics. An expensive luxury product, it would have been owned by a fashionable and wealthy woman, and probably kept on a dressing table. Charles Gouyn, who made the porcelain parts, specialized in the manufacture of small personal accessories. He made these for the home market and for export to the Continent.
People
The casket belongs to the so-called 'Girl-in-a-Swing' group of early English porcelains (named after a figure included in the V&A's collections). Historians of English porcelain first identified these as a distinctive group in the 1920s, but their maker was not firmly identified until 1993. They were originally attributed to the Chelsea factory of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771). Collectors then suggested that they were probably made at a rival factory set up by Staffordshire workmen who had quit Sprimont's works. Recent research has proved that these figures and wares were made by Charles Gouyn (died 1785). Gouyn was a second-generation jeweller with premises in St James's, London, and he had been a partner in the Chelsea factory until sometime before March 1749. However, the precise location of his factory, and the identity of the modeller of these distinctive figures, remain unknown.
This casket is for scent or other cosmetics. An expensive luxury product, it would have been owned by a fashionable and wealthy woman, and probably kept on a dressing table. Charles Gouyn, who made the porcelain parts, specialized in the manufacture of small personal accessories. He made these for the home market and for export to the Continent.
People
The casket belongs to the so-called 'Girl-in-a-Swing' group of early English porcelains (named after a figure included in the V&A's collections). Historians of English porcelain first identified these as a distinctive group in the 1920s, but their maker was not firmly identified until 1993. They were originally attributed to the Chelsea factory of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771). Collectors then suggested that they were probably made at a rival factory set up by Staffordshire workmen who had quit Sprimont's works. Recent research has proved that these figures and wares were made by Charles Gouyn (died 1785). Gouyn was a second-generation jeweller with premises in St James's, London, and he had been a partner in the Chelsea factory until sometime before March 1749. However, the precise location of his factory, and the identity of the modeller of these distinctive figures, remain unknown.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 10 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Glassy soft-paste porcelain casket, painted in enamel colours, with gold and glass fittings; glass scent bottles mounted in gold or gilt-metal, with gold or gilt-metal stoppers; gold or gilt-metal spoon |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
SCENT FLASK AND CASKET
Charles Gouyn, whose factory made these pieces, was a jeweller. His factory was the first in England to make porcelain scent bottles, bodkin cases and similar items. These were known as 'toys' in the 18th-century. Large numbers of porcelain and metal 'toys' were exported to continental Europe.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | Made at the factory of Charles Gouyn (born in Dieppe, France, died in London, 1785) possibly in St James's, London |
| Summary | Object Type This casket is for scent or other cosmetics. An expensive luxury product, it would have been owned by a fashionable and wealthy woman, and probably kept on a dressing table. Charles Gouyn, who made the porcelain parts, specialized in the manufacture of small personal accessories. He made these for the home market and for export to the Continent. People The casket belongs to the so-called 'Girl-in-a-Swing' group of early English porcelains (named after a figure included in the V&A's collections). Historians of English porcelain first identified these as a distinctive group in the 1920s, but their maker was not firmly identified until 1993. They were originally attributed to the Chelsea factory of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771). Collectors then suggested that they were probably made at a rival factory set up by Staffordshire workmen who had quit Sprimont's works. Recent research has proved that these figures and wares were made by Charles Gouyn (died 1785). Gouyn was a second-generation jeweller with premises in St James's, London, and he had been a partner in the Chelsea factory until sometime before March 1749. However, the precise location of his factory, and the identity of the modeller of these distinctive figures, remain unknown. |
| Bibliographic reference | Young, Hilary. English Porcelain, 1745-95. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1999. 229p., ill. ISBN 1851772820. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.341 to I-1983 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | December 2, 2002 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
