Hatbox
ca. 1897 (designed), ca. 1930 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The box carries stamps for ‘Luterma’ and ‘Venesta’ on the inside of its lid. From 1897 Luterma was the trade name for products made by the A.M. Luther Woodworking Company for Mechanical Woodworking (founded 1877) in Tallin, Estonia. Luterma was one of, if not the, most important manufacturers of plywood and plywood products in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Venesta Plywood Company, founded in 1908, was Luterma’s U.K. distributor (‘Venesta’ is a combination of the words ‘veneers’ and ‘Estonia’).
Luterma began to make plywood hatboxes in the mid-1890s, under their newly-formed Department of Sundry Goods. The boxes were made to a range of standardised sizes, using a basic mechanised ‘wrapping’ technique. Other products made in the same department included plywood pails, crates and chests. All of these products were manufactured in large quantities for a growing, global market. Venesta sold hatboxes of this type at least until the end of the 1930s. Their 1936 ‘sundries’ catalogue advertises a hatbox apparently of the same design (although lined), offered in four different sizes ‘made to nest’.
Luterma began to make plywood hatboxes in the mid-1890s, under their newly-formed Department of Sundry Goods. The boxes were made to a range of standardised sizes, using a basic mechanised ‘wrapping’ technique. Other products made in the same department included plywood pails, crates and chests. All of these products were manufactured in large quantities for a growing, global market. Venesta sold hatboxes of this type at least until the end of the 1930s. Their 1936 ‘sundries’ catalogue advertises a hatbox apparently of the same design (although lined), offered in four different sizes ‘made to nest’.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Moulded 3-ply birch plywood with metal bandings and replacement leather straps, paper labels |
| Brief description | Hatbox, manufactured by Luterma, sold by Venesta, moulded 3-ply birch plywood with metal bandings and replacement leather straps, manufactured in Estonia, designed about 1897, manufactured about 1930 |
| Physical description | The box is in two parts - a main body with separate lid. A leather strap, with buckle, extends over the lid and holds it in place. A second smaller strap is attached to the side of the box - this allows it to be carried by hand. The circular form of the box is made from a single sheet of birch plywood. The lid is slightly wider in diameter, allowing it to slot over the top edge of the box. The base of the box and the top of the lid are both formed from flat sheets of plywood. A punched metal band runs around the lower edge of the box and upper edge of the lid, presumably to adding strength and as protection against damage. The punching on these bands is irregular, suggesting that it was done by hand. The leather straps are replacements, although the box would have had straps in this configuration (one to hold the lid closed, and one for carrying) when first made. The box is unlined. It carries stamps on the inside of its lid for 'Luterma' and 'Venesta'. There are the remains of a paper sticker on its outside edge. This sticker, now illegible, was presumably used to label it for travel. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions | Stamped on the inside of its lid by Luterma and Venesta. |
| Gallery label |
|
| Historical context | |
| Associations | |
| Summary | The box carries stamps for ‘Luterma’ and ‘Venesta’ on the inside of its lid. From 1897 Luterma was the trade name for products made by the A.M. Luther Woodworking Company for Mechanical Woodworking (founded 1877) in Tallin, Estonia. Luterma was one of, if not the, most important manufacturers of plywood and plywood products in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Venesta Plywood Company, founded in 1908, was Luterma’s U.K. distributor (‘Venesta’ is a combination of the words ‘veneers’ and ‘Estonia’). Luterma began to make plywood hatboxes in the mid-1890s, under their newly-formed Department of Sundry Goods. The boxes were made to a range of standardised sizes, using a basic mechanised ‘wrapping’ technique. Other products made in the same department included plywood pails, crates and chests. All of these products were manufactured in large quantities for a growing, global market. Venesta sold hatboxes of this type at least until the end of the 1930s. Their 1936 ‘sundries’ catalogue advertises a hatbox apparently of the same design (although lined), offered in four different sizes ‘made to nest’. |
| Bibliographic reference | Wilk, Christopher. Plywood: A Material Story. London: Thames & Hudson / V&A, 2017
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.11:1,2-2016 |
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 | February 9, 2016 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
