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"Bullock's designs influenced other cabinet makers and commissioning clients well into the 1840s. His brass inlay designs were stylized, forcefully assertive and totally controlled. In this, they adhered to the spirit of neoclassicism. However, Bullock abandoned the motifs of the ancients, in favor of floral and foliage patterns, reminiscent of British plants. His inlays were in the form of continuous repetitive patterns and scrolls, rather than the more severe separate ornaments. He injected an element of romanticism, within the "antique" tradition and the result was a style close to the French work, but still remaining distinctive.

"By the second decade of the 19th century, brass design on boxes became more naturalistic and was applied in the form of foliate and floral scrolls as borders, or as stylized compositions on the whole surface. As the fashion became more popular, some of the work lost its earlier vigor and precision. The patterns became larger and less well controlled. One clever innovation was a running pattern, reminiscent of a Vitruvian scroll, which although not as difficult to execute as the more complex floral motifs, was very effective, especially against rosewood and rich mahogany on large writing boxes."

The box has similarity to a box illustrated in our book:

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society, 1700--1880 Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, ISBN: 0764316885

All text and images and linked images are © 1999-2007 Antigone Clarke and Joseph O'Kelly. If you require any further information on permitted use, or a licence to republish any material, email us at copyright@hygra.com