Box
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This small box has been decorated using the intricate technique of piqué which was perfected in Paris in the 18th century. It required skilled craftsmen to inlay turtle shell (now known as tortoiseshell) with tiny gold pins (known as piqué point) or strips of gold in shallow grooves (piqué posé).
The stripe-pattern on this example has been engine-turned, a technique first found on boxes from Paris and London around 1750. The top is decorated with mother-of-pearl stained green and pink and with floral sprigs cut from a single gold sheet. The rim and hinge are gilt-bronze.
The stripe-pattern on this example has been engine-turned, a technique first found on boxes from Paris and London around 1750. The top is decorated with mother-of-pearl stained green and pink and with floral sprigs cut from a single gold sheet. The rim and hinge are gilt-bronze.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Picque, inlaid tortoiseshell, engine-turned, inlaid mother of pearl, stained ivory, gold, gilt-bronze |
| Brief description | Box, tortoiseshell inlaid with gold and mother of pearl, gilt bronze hinge, Germany 18th century |
| Physical description | Picque, inlaid tortoise-shell, engine turned and inlaid with gold and mother of pearl. Circular, basketwork pattern; on cover, birds among flowers and foliage. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | No marks |
| Gallery label | Silver Gallery:
The stripe-pattern on this box is engine-turned, a technique first found on boxes from Paris and London around 1750. The top is decorated with mother-of-pearl stained green and pink and with floral sprigs cut from a single gold-sheet. The sheet is lifting, which is a common problem with piqué objects, caused by changes in temperature and humidity. The rim and hinge are gilt-bronze.(26/11/2002) |
| Credit line | Alfred Williams Hearn Gift |
| Summary | This small box has been decorated using the intricate technique of piqué which was perfected in Paris in the 18th century. It required skilled craftsmen to inlay turtle shell (now known as tortoiseshell) with tiny gold pins (known as piqué point) or strips of gold in shallow grooves (piqué posé). The stripe-pattern on this example has been engine-turned, a technique first found on boxes from Paris and London around 1750. The top is decorated with mother-of-pearl stained green and pink and with floral sprigs cut from a single gold sheet. The rim and hinge are gilt-bronze. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.119-1923 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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