Gifts of Grandeur: The Rabbit Bonbonière, c. 1759

Candy Box
Chelsea Porcelain Factory
c. 1759
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in London, this bonbonnière of porcelain has been modeled after a mama rabbit with her babies. The attached cover of copper is painted with enamels and a gilt metal mount. Inside the cover, sprays of flowers have also been painted. 

The rabbits are moulded in full relief. These, too, are painted with enamels. Such an exquisite box was meant to hold candies and sugared fruit. It was made between 1759 and 1769 by the Chelsea Porcelain Factory.

Mastery of Design: The Owl and Monkey Bonbonniere/Patch-box, c. 1749

The British Museum

Perhaps this was a patch-box (a container meant to held the black paper "beauty marks" which ladies and fops alike glued to their faces to cover blemishes and...syphilis) or perhaps it was made as a bonbonniére (a candy container).   In any event, this lovely work of soft-paste porcelain is molded in the form of an owl's head with yellow and brown enamel for the feathers, and pink, gray and orange for the beak.  The black enamel eyes are set with diamonds.  

Meanwhile, the rim is painted with green leaves and the interior of the box is painted with two pink flower sprays, a leaf and two cherries.  The interior of the cover is mounted in gold and tortoise-shell and the reverse us set with a gold plaque chased with a relief scene of a plum-eating monkey in a landscape.

This was produced at the "Girl-in-a-Swing Factory" between 1749 and 1754.  It was donated to The British Museum by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks.

The British Museum

Masterpiece of the Week: The Neuber Bonbonnière, 1780

German Sweet Meat Box
With Roman insets
1780
The Victoria and Albert Museum

This bonbonnière of colored hardstone, including carnelian, turquoise, jasper, and lapis lazuli, has been attributed to the workshop of Christian Neuber who, in 1780, when the box was made, was working in Dresden.

The handsome lid and base of the box are set with micromosaic panels of a dog and a butterfly which appear to be based on the mosaics of Giacomo Raffaelli--one of the most talented Roman mosaicists.  In fact, some believe that Raffaelli or someone in his workshop may have made the micromosaic panels which were set into this German sweetmeat box--demonstrating the popularity of this medium in Europe in the 18th century.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Bonbonnière with a view of Balmoral Castle, 1907

 Bonbonnière of gold, enamel and Diamonds
Henrik Emanuel Wigström, 1907
Showing the "Balmoral Side"
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Fabergé's brilliant workmaster Henrik Emanuel Wigström (1862-1923) created this bonbonnière of gold, enamel and rose-cut diamonds in 1907. With its lovely views of Balmoral and Windsor Castles, the wee candy box was destined to be a part of the Royal Collection, and, naturally, that’s where it ended up.

The bonbonnière was purchased by Sir Ernest Cassel from Fabergé's London branch, on November 4, 1907 for £81 5s. Sir Ernest presented the box to his friend Sir Philip Sassoon who held onto it for quite some time.

Now, it would be very easy to suggest that Queen Mary spied the box in Sassoon’s collection and suggested in her particular way that the object really should, since it does depict Balmoral and Windsor, belong in the Royal Collection. It would be easy to do so because it’s true. Sassoon’s records indicate that as early as 1908, the Princess of Wales (after 1910, Queen Mary) admired the object, noting that it was the first work by Wigström that she’d ever seen depicting one of the Royal residences. She kept at it for decades, I would guess though I have no proof of it. 

Nevertheless, we do know for certain that Sir Philip presented the bonbonnière to Queen Mary for her birthday on May 26, 1934. No doubt, Her Majesty was quite pleased. Queen Mary displayed the bonbonnière with great pride and marveled at its enameled views of Balmoral Castle on one side and Windsor Castle on the other as well as the edge of the box which is set with enameled roses and leaves interspersed with diamond-set crosses.

The Windsor Castle side
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Gifts of Grandeur: The Rabbit Bonbonière, c. 1759

Candy Box
Chelsea Porcelain Factory
c. 1759
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in London, this bonbonnière of porcelain has been modeled after a mama rabbit with her babies. The attached cover of copper is painted with enamels and a gilt metal mount. Inside the cover, sprays of flowers have also been painted. The rabbits are moulded in full relief. These, too, are painted with enamels. Such an exquisite box was meant to hold candies and sugared fruit. It was made between 1759 and 1769 by the Chelsea Porcelain Factory.

Mastery of Design: Bonbonnière with a view of Balmoral Castle, 1907

 Bonbonnière of gold, enamel and Diamonds
Henrik Emanuel Wigström, 1907
Showing the "Balmoral Side"
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Fabergé's brilliant workmaster Henrik Emanuel Wigström (1862-1923) created this bonbonnière of gold, enamel and rose-cut diamonds in 1907. With its lovely views of Balmoral and Windsor Castles, the wee candy box was destined to be a part of the Royal Collection, and, naturally, that’s where it ended up.

The bonbonnière was purchased by Sir Ernest Cassel from Fabergé's London branch, on November 4, 1907 for £81 5s. Sir Ernest presented the box to his friend Sir Philip Sassoon who held onto it for quite some time.

Now, it would be very easy to suggest that Queen Mary spied the box in Sassoon’s collection and suggested in her particular way that the object really should, since it does depict Balmoral and Windsor, belong in the Royal Collection. It would be easy to do so because it’s true. Sassoon’s records indicate that as early as 1908, the Princess of Wales (after 1910, Queen Mary) admired the object, noting that it was the first work by Wigström that she’d ever seen depicting one of the Royal residences. She kept at it for decades, I would guess though I have no proof of it. 

Nevertheless, we do know for certain that Sir Philip presented the bonbonnière to Queen Mary for her birthday on May 26, 1934. No doubt, Her Majesty was quite pleased. Queen Mary displayed the bonbonnière with great pride and marveled at its enameled views of Balmoral Castle on one side and Windsor Castle on the other as well as the edge of the box which is set with enameled roses and leaves interspersed with diamond-set crosses.

The Windsor Castle side
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Gifts of Grandeur: The Neuber Bonbonnière, 1780

German Sweet Meat Box
With Roman insets
1780
The Victoria and Albert Museum

This bonbonnière of colored hardstone, including carnelian, turquoise, jasper, and lapis lazuli, has been attributed to the workshop of Christian Neuber who, in 1780, when the box was made, was working in Dresden.

The handsome lid and base of the box are set with micromosaic panels of a dog and a butterfly which appear to be based on the mosaics of Giacomo Raffaelli--one of the most talented Roman mosaicists.  In fact, some believe that Raffaelli or someone in his workshop may have made the micromosaic panels which were set into this German sweetmeat box--demonstrating the popularity of this medium in Europe in the 18th century.