On eBay Now...19th Century Tunbridge Ware Stamp Box with a Mosaic Portrait of Queen Victoria For Sale
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19th Century Tunbridge Ware Stamp Box with a Mosaic Portrait of Queen Victoria:
$275.00
From Georgian and through Victorian times, wood boxes and caddies appeared everywhere in the traditional English country or town house. They were made to take care of every type of manufactured or hand-made small household articles. Some of the more popular forms included work boxes, tea caddies, snuff boxes, and stationary boxes. Good houses would not be complete without these pieces that were both functional and decorative. Sometimes these boxes became sculptural, rising to works of art in themselves.Throughout the 19th century, the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells was a magnet for people of means seeking an escape from their everyday lives. Even today, the town draws in people by the thousands for a variety of events, from concerts to vintage car shows to book fairs. While there, the Victorian tourists were on the prowl for souvenirs to take home, and competition among local manufacturers of such items became fierce, especially when it came to the beautifully crafted wooden knickknacks now known as Tunbridge Ware. These objects, with inlays usually from rosewood, boxwood, ebony and other exotic woods, are considered antique Treen, which comes from the Old English word meaning “of a tree.”
As the spa town increased in popularity in the 19th century, so did the popularity of these souvenirs. Buyers, however, demanded greater and greater sophistication in these items, and the manufacturers complied by creating increasingly intricate and creative designs. Sewing boxes, jewelry boxes, and tea caddies were not beyond their expertise, although if one were looking for a simple tray or even a tiny box to store stamps, these were also available. Yet even such mundane objects were given the trademark Tunbridge Ware beauty treatments and can feature intricate wood mosaics, marquetry, and inlaid patterns made from thousands of tiny pieces of naturally colored wood.
The portrait of the woman on the lid of this stamp box, made with tiny mosaic pieces of wood, is that of Queen Victoria. During her 63-year reign, every single stamp issued by Great Britain bore her portrait, which famously maintained her youthful 19-year-old profile regardless of her actual age at the time. The portrait is surrounded by a light-colored wood band of mosaic pieces set in a geometric running pattern. This type of set-up mimics a framed picture. The designer left a narrow band of plain wood to give space to the portrait.
On the sides of the lids is another band of further geometric designs. This band is in the middle of the sides of the lid, and it has a narrow band of rosewood on each side of it. There is another band of geometric designs on the bottom of the box on all four sides. This design is also edged with a narrow strip of rosewood to mimic the above. It comes from an exceptional private 30-year collection in England.
The condition is excellent. I have had it professionally polished. Over the years it has developed warm, rich colors and a glowing patina. The top lid fits snuggly on the bottom part of the box.
It measures 1-3/8 inches wide, 1-5/8 inches deep, and ¾ of an inch high.
Personaland cashier’s checks also accepted.Pleasecontact for international shipping rates, as well as to Alaska,Hawaii and U.S. territories.
Perry-JoyceFine Arts
Over40 Years of Expertise in 18th and 19th Century Needlework, BritishPaintings, and 19th Century Decorative Arts