Description:
SB473: An artist painted fully fitted  papier mâchè sewing box of curvilinear form by Jennens and Bettridge, the inside with silk covered lift out tray with supplementary lids in velvet and retaining its original sewing tools in silver and a set of six  turned and carved mother of pearl spools. The painting depicts a life like peacock  in a classical garden complete with statuary and a profusion of flowers.  To increase the lumessence the painter has used a ground of bronze and gold. Circa 1840.

Origin: UK  Jennens and Bettridge.

Circa: 1840

Size: 23.6 cm wide by 18 cm by 14 cm:   9.3 inches wide by   7 inches by   5.5 inches.

Condition: Very good over all. working lock and key. See images.

The papier mâchè is utilized to create a complex   classical form more usual in a vessel with the curved box raised upon a plinth.  

The inside with silk lined lid, and silk  covered  lift out tray with supplementary lids in velvet and retaining its original sewing tools in silver and a set of six  turned and carved mother of pearl spools. 

The scissors handles the stiletto handle,  the thimble, and the  needle case  are unmarked but test as silver.

There are mother of pear pulls to two of the lids. These, as the spool tops are turned and carved.

The painting depicts a life like peacock  in a classical garden complete with statuary and a profusion of flowers.  To increase the lumessence the painter has used a ground of bronze and gold. 

"During the decades of quality painted work, struggling artists often worked incognito, painting on papier mâché in order to support their purer artistic efforts. They seldom marked their work, possibly because the firms they worked for did not approve of artist identification, or possibly because they themselves did not wish to advertise the fact that their work could be bought on a piece of applied, rather than pure art. Jennens and Bettridge sometimes had the name of the firm painted on the margin of pictures. "Studios" for the decoration of blanks were set up as early as the last two decades of the 18th century. Joseph Barney, a fruit and flower painter, Haseler, and Robert Noyes, were some of the first artists working in this way. It is impossible to know whose hand was responsible for some of the wonderful painting and decoration on papier mâché boxes."

(See: Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society 1700--1880 Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, pages 82-86. ISBN: 0764316885)

The inside with silk lined lid, and silk  covered  lift out tray with supplementary lids in velvet and retaining its original sewing tools in silver and a set of six  turned and carved mother of pearl spools. 

The scissors handles the stiletto handle,  the thimble, and the  needle case  are unmarked but test as silver.

There are mother of pear pulls to two of the lids. These, as the spool tops are turned and carved.

The  mother of pearl spool  tops are both turned and carved. There is a set of six. The tray is lined in both velvet and silk.

Thread by this time was supplied wound which would be put on these. The other end of the spool is bone. The central part is composed of a cylinder and a rod and comes apart to enable the thread spool to be put on it. 

 The tray is lined with silk. here is the compartment under the separate tray with the tools

"In general terms, the process was as follows: the article was first coated with a mixture of fine lampblack and tar varnish and then just with tar varnish. When dry, it was planed or rubbed smooth, before receiving more coats of varnish, each coat rubbed smooth with pumice. Then the article was polished with powdered pumice and rotten stone. The final gloss was achieved with finely powdered rotten stone rubbed with the hand."

(See: Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society 1700--1880 Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, pages 82-86. ISBN: 0764316885)

 The lock-plate is stamped with a crown and "VR" (Victoria Regina"

and "patent".  The "patent refers to the form of lever in the mechanism of the lock.

click the image to enlarge

The painting depicts a life like peacock  in a classical garden complete with statuary and a profusion of flowers.  To increase the lumessence the painter has used a ground of bronze and gold. 

"During the decades of quality painted work, struggling artists often worked incognito, painting on papier mâché in order to support their purer artistic efforts. They seldom marked their work, possibly because the firms they worked for did not approve of artist identification, or possibly because they themselves did not wish to advertise the fact that their work could be bought on a piece of applied, rather than pure art. Jennens and Bettridge sometimes had the name of the firm painted on the margin of pictures. "Studios" for the decoration of blanks were set up as early as the last two decades of the 18th century. Joseph Barney, a fruit and flower painter, Haseler, and Robert Noyes, were some of the first artists working in this way. It is impossible to know whose hand was responsible for some of the wonderful painting and decoration on papier mâché boxes."

(See: Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society 1700--1880 Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, pages 82-86. ISBN: 0764316885)

 

Struggling artists often worked incognito, painting on papier mâché in order to support their purer artistic efforts

The box is marked on the underside "Jennens and Bettridge" 

In 1815 Jennens and Bettridge  took over Henry Clay’s workshops. Henry Clay was the first papier mâchè box maker to hold the Royal warrant. 

Jennens and Bettridge expanded both the popularity and decorative styles of the medium of  Papier mâché. 

"A box with a lift out tray fitted with sewing tools, and five mother of pearl spools. It is stamped Jennens and Bettridge, under a crown. The top is painted with a peacock amongst flowers and grapes. Parrots and butterflies are painted all around. The main scenes are enclosed within fine rococo cartouches. Note the very fine quality of the painting and gilding, which attests to the work of one of the master painters." 

The velvet sewing tray is very similar to this box

(See: Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society 1700--1880 Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, pages 82-86. ISBN: 0764316885)

The finely painted  floral decoration is on an opaque gold  and bronze base.