Cigarette Box
1928 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This cigarette box would have been an elegant container for quantities of loose cigarettes. It has a silver finial on the lid, silver mounts and a walnut core covered in shagreen (treated sharkskin).
Shagreen was traditionally used to cover a vast variety of containers. These ranged from boxes to tea caddies, knife boxes, canteens, small pocket or presentation cases and spectacle cases. John Paul Cooper (1869-1933), who made this box, was largely responsible for reviving its use.
Shagreen was traditionally used to cover a vast variety of containers. These ranged from boxes to tea caddies, knife boxes, canteens, small pocket or presentation cases and spectacle cases. John Paul Cooper (1869-1933), who made this box, was largely responsible for reviving its use.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Silver mounts, shagreen and walnut core, with silver finial |
Brief description | Walnut covered in grey shagreen with silver mounts, no hallmarks, London, 1928, designed and made by John Paul Cooper |
Physical description | Circular drum of walnut, covered in shagreen with matching lid, silver mounts and finial. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions |
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Credit line | Purchased from the British Institute of Industrial Art out of the Spielmann Memorial Fund |
Object history | John Paul Cooper (1869-1933) initially trained as an architect, working in the offices of J D Sedding and Henry Wilson. It was on Wilson's advice that he took up metalwork in 1897 and he was primarily responsible for reviving the use of shagreen. Shagreen was originally a species of untanned leather; from the mid 18th century nurse shark skin or the less expensive dog fish skin was used. It was traditionally used to cover a vast variety of containers from boxes for tea caddies, knife boxes, canteens, small pocket or presentation cases and spectacle cases. Purchased from the British Institute of Industrial Art out of the Spielmann Memorial Fund. Neg._No: 72691 |
Summary | This cigarette box would have been an elegant container for quantities of loose cigarettes. It has a silver finial on the lid, silver mounts and a walnut core covered in shagreen (treated sharkskin). Shagreen was traditionally used to cover a vast variety of containers. These ranged from boxes to tea caddies, knife boxes, canteens, small pocket or presentation cases and spectacle cases. John Paul Cooper (1869-1933), who made this box, was largely responsible for reviving its use. |
Collection | |
Accession number | M.87:1, 2-1934 |
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Record created | March 9, 2004 |
Record URL |
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