Calverley Toilet Service thumbnail 1
Calverley Toilet Service thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 54a

Calverley Toilet Service

Pin Cushion
1683-1684 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type

The term toilet service refers to the mirror, boxes and dishes that were found on a lady's dressing table in the 17th and 18th centuries. Pins were used to attach clothing as well as for hair. Pin cushions are often stuffed with an abrasive such as emery powder to clean the pins.



People

A silver toilet service was often a gift to a bride from a wealthy groom. This pin cushion is part of a service (Museum nos. 240&A to M-1879) that was bought for Julia Blackett, the eldest daughter of Sir William Blackett, by her intended husband Sir Walter Calverley. This is recorded in his diary: 'On Tuesday, the 17th of January, 1706-7 I was married to Miss Julia Blackett...I and my mother were at the cost of a fine set of dressing plate for my wife, came to 116l. odd money...'.



Recent research has identified the silversmith, whose mark 'WF' is found on this service, as William Fowle (1658-1684). He was apprenticed to the well-known silversmith, Arthur Manwaring, and went into business independently in 1681. He specialised in making toilet services.



Social Class

Matching sets of toilet silver originated in 17th-century France in conjunction with the custom of the levée. This was a practice popular among the upper classes, in which friends and family would be invited to witness the dressing and adornment of noble ladies.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCalverley Toilet Service (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Silver, cast and chased
Brief description
Calverley Toilet Service
Dimensions
  • Height: 7cm
  • Width: 18cm
  • Depth: 16cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 26/06/2000 by KB
Marks and inscriptions
  • WF for William Fowles, see David Mitchell essay, Burlington Magazine, 1994
  • Town mark: London
Gallery label
British Galleries: THE CALVERLEY TOILET SERVICE
[consists of 1 mirror frame, 2 tazzas, 2 large round boxes with lids and 2 small round boxes with lids, 2 rectangular boxes with lid, 2 large vessels with lids and 2 small vases with lids, 1 pincushion]

In about 1700 a silver toilet set was a customary wedding gift for a wealthy bride from her husband. It was intended for display in the wife's private apartments and included caskets for jewels or gloves, pincushions, pots for cosmetics and trays for pins, as well as an impressive mirror. This set was over twenty years old when Sir Walter Calverley bought it in 1707 for £119, little more than the cost of the silver by weight.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Bequeathed by Sir Walter Calverley Trevelyan, Bt
Object history
Probably made in London by William Fowle (born in 1658, died in 1684) after designs by Guglielmo della Porta (active 1534, died in Rome, 1577)
Summary
Object Type

The term toilet service refers to the mirror, boxes and dishes that were found on a lady's dressing table in the 17th and 18th centuries. Pins were used to attach clothing as well as for hair. Pin cushions are often stuffed with an abrasive such as emery powder to clean the pins.



People

A silver toilet service was often a gift to a bride from a wealthy groom. This pin cushion is part of a service (Museum nos. 240&A to M-1879) that was bought for Julia Blackett, the eldest daughter of Sir William Blackett, by her intended husband Sir Walter Calverley. This is recorded in his diary: 'On Tuesday, the 17th of January, 1706-7 I was married to Miss Julia Blackett...I and my mother were at the cost of a fine set of dressing plate for my wife, came to 116l. odd money...'.



Recent research has identified the silversmith, whose mark 'WF' is found on this service, as William Fowle (1658-1684). He was apprenticed to the well-known silversmith, Arthur Manwaring, and went into business independently in 1681. He specialised in making toilet services.



Social Class

Matching sets of toilet silver originated in 17th-century France in conjunction with the custom of the levée. This was a practice popular among the upper classes, in which friends and family would be invited to witness the dressing and adornment of noble ladies.
Collection
Accession number
240M-1879

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Record createdJune 11, 2003
Record URL
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