A History of Ornamented Boxes

This is a very detailed web page, of interest to us, and includes engraving examples, and old tools:

http://www.antiquebox.org/guide/history/

Wonderful woodwork, hinging and locks, linkages, inlaid metal, piercing, and engraving.

Rod

Rod,Get to see these beautiful box's on the antique road show at least once a year with some interesting things inside them,thank's fore sharing. J.J.

Thanks, JJ!

I have bought a number of them over the years, mostly in Scotland, back in the 1980's, when prices there were reasonable, however mine were never quite the quality of some of the elaborate ones on this website. It is amazing what quality of work can be sustained with a group of skilled craft persons working together. Referring to the above photo, I am a bit amazed at the way they have inset the pierced brass work into the rosewood, or do you reckon they cheated, just a little, and did the rosewood fill with veneer pieces, then set the whole thing into the cabinet wood?

My favourite delight to the eye, in a mix of wood and metal, was to see Holtzapffel rose engine lathes, a friend owned four (!). I have the original 4 volume books on these lathes. The wood cabinets, to hold the many tools and accessories, were another delight to behold, every piece of wood, and metal was finished to perfection. Simple wrenches, for tightening various accessories, were mirror finished in steel, and had ivory handles. During the early part of the 19th century, these extravagant and wonderful machines became fashionable with the english gentry, who took to making rather ugly objects for a hobby. I remember reading, that a good fully-equipped Holtzapffel with accessories cost about the same as a row of houses in early 1800's London.

They certainly change hands for the big bucks, if any come onto the market today, but for less than a row of today's house.

Rod

Thank you for the link Rod, some relay beautiful and amazing workmanship in those boxes.

Peter

Man... that sucks, was just at the Witte museum in San Antonio, they had a display for the last royalty to hold power I'm Mexico, they had a beautiful wooden box, I should have taken a picture.

Sorry

Carlos De La O III

tell your pal i'll give him my 2 kids for just 1 holtzapffel ! i'll throw in my cat for 1 book ! i can only guess what one of those marvelous machines would sell for.