Class XXIX.]
DRESSING-CASES, WRITING-DESKS, WORK-BOXES, &c.
053
In general, however, down to perhaps the middle ofthe eighteenth century, the most costly toilette-furnitureseems to have consisted of a great variety of articleswhich covered the dressing-table. It is possible that thethought of fitting up a single receptacle with varioususeful contents, was suggested by the boxes brought fromJapan towards the close of the seventeenth century.These were made to contain a number of smaller boxesfor powder, patches, &c., of different shapes, and con-trived neatly to fit each other. In the “ Fop’s Dictionary,”contained in the very curious tract on female costume,published by Evelyn in 1690, entitled “ A Voyage to Marry -laud, or the Lady's Dressing-room Unlocked,” a cassetteof silver filigree is mentioned, and explained to signify“ a dressing-boxbut from the description, it reallyappears to have been a case for perfumed waters. All therest of the appointments consist of a profusion of scatteredluxuries, like those which are also described in the com-mencement of Pope ’s “ Rape of the Lock.”
A lady’s dressing-case of the present day would appearto have been originally contrived with a view of containingalmost as many articles of convenience or luxury as wereenumerated by Evelyn as belonging to a lady, towards theend of the seventeenth century; and however appropriatesuch may have been to that period, it is certainly illadapted for travelling in the nineteenth century; excepting,perhaps, for long voyages in half-civilized countries, orunfrequented tracts where the ordinary necessaries of thetoilette are not procurable. In travelling, however, throughthe polished cities of Europe , it is not more needless to beencumbered with a store of gold, when circular notes areobtainable, than it is to carry large quantities of perfumeryor any other similar article which can be readily pur-chased. And if the many vessels usually introduced intoa lady’s dressing-case were reduced in number and size,it might become nearly as portable as that of a gentleman.Yet, although this is obvious, it is remarkable that not asingle example of a lady’s dressing-case is to be found inthe Exhibition suitable for convenient package or forrapid travelling, when superfluous baggage is very unde-sirable. At the same time there are numerous instancesof gentlemen’s dressing-cases, extremely portable, mostlymade of leather, which has been found better adapted forthe purpose than wood.
The ordinary description of Dressing-cases, Writing-desks, and Work-boxes, admit of classification into twovery distinct branches of manufacture, allied, however,by the contents of the cases, some of which are the samein both kinds. The first class is that in which the caseis composed of hard-woods, and its ornamentation dueentirely to the arts of the'cabinet-maker and buhl-worker.The second class comprises all those examples in whichthe body of the box is made of soft woods, or moulded inpasteboard, and afterwards covered with leather of variouskinds. The exterior is then ornamented, either in asimple style, with creasing-tools guided by means of awooden straight-edge, or more elaborately witli toolssimilar to those of the bookbinder. Besides wood andleather, it should be stated that papier-mache has beenintroduced into this manufacture, as indeed into manyothers; and frequently with more regard to a glitteringappearance than to beauty of design, of which, however,this material is perfectly susceptible. The natives ofIndia, China, and Japan , have employed their variousarts in the manufacture of dressing-cases, desks, andwork-boxes, suitable for the use of Europeans , and haveadorned these respective productions according to theirown peculiar styles of ornament.
The articles on which the Jurors of Class XXIX. wereprincipally required to decide, are those belonging to thefirst two of the preceding varieties: yet, on consulting theAward-books, it would appear that other Juries have alsoinvestigated the merits of some of those productions. Itis, however, satisfactory to find that they have, by theirdecisions, confirmed the Awards of the Jury to whichthey properly belong. Those Awards have been, in mostinstances, omitted in the list for Class XXIX., as noExhibitor is entitled to more than one recompense for thesame description of goods: they are, however, for obviousreasons, mentioned in this Report.
The chief contributions in the Austrian Department area Dressing-case, and a Dressing-table, covered with velvetand ornamented with pierced ivory, in which both, thematerial and the ornament are evidently ill-adapted forthe intended purpose. Besides these, there are someLadies’ Work-boxes of wood, and Dressing-cases andWork-boxes of papier-mache, both of which varieties areof an inferior description, and not remarkable for cheap-ness.
Five Exhibitors, from that once fashionable watering-place, the town of Spa, contribute numerous articles ofthe so-called Spa-ware, consisting of Work-boxes, Netting-boxes, Reading-desks, Portfolios, Glove-boxes, and othersimilar articles: these are made of sycamore or maplewood, which has been coloured by immersion in thenatural ferruginous waters of the place. The iron com-pounds (probably chiefly tannate of iron), which areformed by the combination of the peroxide of iron withthe vegetable juices, not only develop the minute struc-ture of the grain, but also give an agreeable slate-tint tothe wood, which then forms a pleasing background to theelaborate paintings with which the manufactures areembellished. After having been decorated, they are pre-served from injury by several coats of varnish, which stillfarther increases the beauty of the wood, by bringing outthe grain.
British Colonies.
The contributions from the British Colonies are nume-rous, but they must, in most cases, be regarded rather ascuriosities than as articles of large sale. From Ceylonthere is only one article, namely, a Desk of Porcupine-quills, arranged parallel to one another, and surroundedwith a border of carved ivory, the sunken portions beingfilled with colour. The Indian Court contains numerousspecimens of boxes made of a variety of materials, andornamented with great taste in several different patterns.Amougst these may be enumerated a Desk and Envelope-box of ivory and sandal wood, and a Porcupine-quill boxfrom Calcutta ; a beautifully and elaborately carved Cutch-box, and several specimens of boxes from Bombay, orna-mented with tasteful and minute inlaying. New SouthWales contributes a Desk of polished woods of differentkinds. From New Zealand there is a box which may beregarded as a native dressing-case, as it is used by theaborigines to contain their head-dresses. In the SouthAfrican Section is exhibited an Olive-wood work-box,which has been sent from the Groenkloof MissionaryStation. And lastly, from Van Diemen’s Land, Mr.McNacgiiten contributes a Writing-desk and a Work-box, made of Musk-wood, and inlaid with pine, black-wood, she-oak, and myrtle.
There are Three Exhibitors of Writing-desks and Work-boxes in the Chinese Department. Mr. Charles Cope-land (p. 1421) sends a Writing-desk used by the Chinese ,which contains pencils and other materials for writing,and also a Swan-pan or calculating board; and a Japanese Writing-desk, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Two examplesof Japan desks are also exhibited by Hewett and Co.(p. 1421), one of which is ornamented with a bouquet offlowers formed of mother-of-pearl, and the other with alandscape painted in relief with gold bronze. These spe-cimens are interesting as belonging to a class of goodsnow much imitated by the papier-mache manufacturer,but must not be regarded as of the highest class of Japan -ware. The now most celebrated manufacturer of thesegoods, says our colleague M. Natalis Rondot, is Hip-quaof Canton, who has made for himself a beautiful, thoughsmall, collection of lac-ware caskets. M. de Siebold, ofLeyden, also possesses many of the most beautiful exam-ples extant; and the Museum of the Hague also containsmany rich specimens. A Camphor-wood work-box, withcarved ivory fittings, is sent by Hancock and Co.