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Allegorical Devices

Design
1795 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Designs for memorials and lockets using human hair. One of eight plates in the 'Allegorical Devices' pattern book. This plate contains twenty-five oval-shaped designs, each numbered 1-25.

1. A stylised floral design on a striped background.
2. A bird within a diamond shape, on top of a striped background, and bordered by botanical motifs.
3. A woman placing flowers on top of her head with her right hand, and holding flowers in her lap.
4. An urn with two birds perched on top. Above, there is an empty scroll.
5. A design with the letter 'K'.
6. A portrait of a woman with a large hat.
7. Beneath a weeping willow, there is a man with clasped hands standing in front of an obelisk-shaped funerary monument.
8. A central oval decorated with an urn, surrounded by foliage and topped with an angel.
9. A man and a woman beneath a tree. She is carrying small objects in her apron, showing them to the man who examines them.
10. A portrait of a woman.
11. A woman walking outdoors, holding a flower.
12. A monogram with a decorative border.
13. A woman holding a cornucopia with her right arm, and gesturing to herself with her left.
14. A monogram with a decorative border.
15. A woman holding a bunch of grapes.
16. A woman resting her head in her right hand.
17. A woman and a man in front of a monument.
18. An urn in a diamond-shaped frame with a decorative border.
19. A woman rests her arm on a funerary monument with an urn.
20. A woman reading a letter.
21. Two clasped hands on a striped background.
22. A monogram in a diamond shape with a decorative border.
23. A portrait of a woman with a large hat.
24. A design with the letter 'J.'
25. A design with a bird, vines, hair looped in a bow, and a small stylised heart.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Allegorical Devices (popular title)
  • A book of new & allegorical devices, for artists in general, & particularly for jewellers, enamel painters, pattern drawers &c. containing two hundred elegant historical ornamental and fancied subjects (published title)
Materials and techniques
Ink on paper
Brief description
Engraving by Garnet Terry. Plate containing designs from "Allegorical Devices" London, 1795.
Physical description
Designs for memorials and lockets using human hair. One of eight plates in the 'Allegorical Devices' pattern book. This plate contains twenty-five oval-shaped designs, each numbered 1-25.

1. A stylised floral design on a striped background.
2. A bird within a diamond shape, on top of a striped background, and bordered by botanical motifs.
3. A woman placing flowers on top of her head with her right hand, and holding flowers in her lap.
4. An urn with two birds perched on top. Above, there is an empty scroll.
5. A design with the letter 'K'.
6. A portrait of a woman with a large hat.
7. Beneath a weeping willow, there is a man with clasped hands standing in front of an obelisk-shaped funerary monument.
8. A central oval decorated with an urn, surrounded by foliage and topped with an angel.
9. A man and a woman beneath a tree. She is carrying small objects in her apron, showing them to the man who examines them.
10. A portrait of a woman.
11. A woman walking outdoors, holding a flower.
12. A monogram with a decorative border.
13. A woman holding a cornucopia with her right arm, and gesturing to herself with her left.
14. A monogram with a decorative border.
15. A woman holding a bunch of grapes.
16. A woman resting her head in her right hand.
17. A woman and a man in front of a monument.
18. An urn in a diamond-shaped frame with a decorative border.
19. A woman rests her arm on a funerary monument with an urn.
20. A woman reading a letter.
21. Two clasped hands on a striped background.
22. A monogram in a diamond shape with a decorative border.
23. A portrait of a woman with a large hat.
24. A design with the letter 'J.'
25. A design with a bird, vines, hair looped in a bow, and a small stylised heart.
Dimensions
  • Height: 26cm
  • Width: 20.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • London, Printed for Bowles & Carver, No. 69 St. Paul's Church Yard. (Printed on a curve underneath the designs.)
  • HAIR DEVICES. (Printed bottom centre.)
  • Published 29 Sept. 1795. (Printed bottom right.)
Object history
See also E.2326-1931 for an earlier printing of these designs in 'Hair Devices' ca. 1789.
Production
Price 7s 6d. London: Printed for the Proprietors, Bowles & Carver No. 69 St. Paul's Church Yard. Just Published Terry's Complete Round of Cyphers, consisting of 600 examples. Price 6s.
Subjects depicted
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
E.3384-1903

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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