Object of the Day: The Dudley Box, 1579

This pretty little box was made in England in 1579 to hold sweetmeats.  Gifts of sweetmeats, sugared fruits and candies were traditional presents at New Year in the Royal Court.  Sometimes these were presented in special, and often precious, containers such as this one.  

The crest of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (died 1588) is inlaid im silver in the lid. Dudley was the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, and was, therefore, a very important fella about the court.  No doubt, this box must have been made especially for Dudley as a New Year's gift.  

Curiously, after the box had been donated to the V&A, it was untouched for many years.  In fact, it was not opened until 1968 when the crest of Dudley and inscribed date  was discovered for the first time.

The box is decorated in the technique known as damascening, a process, especially popular in the Sixteenth Century, in which gold and silver ribbon is forced into a cross hatched surface of iron using a copper tool. The base iron was darkened with heat and chemicals so that it would develop a blue or black hue which would contrast with the gold and silver ornament. 

Merry Christmas!

We'll be back with new posts on December 27th.

Twas the Night Before Christmas, Stalking the Belle Époque Style

Twas the night before Christmas, about 10:30
When Joseph was nestled next to his Bertie
The two had packed a nice Christmas hamper
With goodies to bring to "Grandma" and "Grandpa."

The Bertie Dog was snoring like a freight train
And Joseph was dreaming of George the Fifth's Reign
Within the dim house the chandeliers glistened
And though he was sleeping, Bertie still listened.

When out from the porch, they heard some faint scratching,
And they both wondered what Stumpy was hatching.
Through the window, they saw a bloke with a hunch,
And knew at once, it was their dear Mr. Punch.

"You there, my Chum, with the face sort of pale,
Did you know that your poor cat has no tail?"
With a soft blanket and a pat on the head
Our dear Mr. Punch made Stumpy Cat a bed.

And as he came inside, that puppet so wise
Said, "Merry Christmas to my two favorite guys.
You see, all creatures should know that on this fine night...
That someone will always make sure they're all right."

"Doggies and kitties and fat fishes that swim,
Horses and lizards, and big monkeys so grim.
Why! Even you humans with all of your hair,
Must always remember that someone should care."

With Joseph's sure nod and a wag of Bert's tail,
They retired to share a glass of wassail
And finding that no one still has such a drink
They gobbled fine cookies 'til they could not think.

And then, back to bed, sure that nothing could fail
Bertie, Punch, Joseph and the cat with no tail
Knew that they should wish, from their heads to their socks,
"Yes, Happy Christmas from Stalking the Belle Époque."

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Mama would have wanted me to share this.  From here, of course.

Christmas Eve Special: Ho, Ho, No...

It's the day before Christmas!

Celebrate with the Little King as he picks up and bathes with some hobos...one of whom is wearing something special under his rags.



And, what's Christmas without Popeye?



Or Little Audrey and some demented cake?

Treat of the Week: Christmas Candy

Let's launch the holiday with a "Treat of the Week" and a look at the assorted candy my mother makes for us to nibble on throughout Christmas.

Here, we have Peppermint Bark! My mother’s homemade peppermint bark is always a treat. Dark and white chocolate punctuated with crushed candy canes—nothing says Christmas more.

We also have assorted sweetmeats. Made in festive molds, these candies of dark, milk and white chocolate are filled with nuts and fruit making for a sweet, tender, crunchy, chewy, glorious snack.

And, then, there's lovely assorted Candies. In the shapes of stars, toys and rosettes, these candies of dark, milk and white chocolate have a colorful surprise on the reverse—a lush coating of brilliant sprinkles.

Finally, my personal favorite--pralines. Pecans suspended in fudge or the traditional brown-sugar praline mixture, I'll gobble up as many of these as I can.

Here's wishing everyone a sweet Christmas!

A Doozy of a Christmas

Who's the gal that's everybody's pal, it's Hazel
She's the one to make the sun begin to glow
The mailman, the grocer, and even schoolkids know
It's worth their while to stop and watch that smile
When Hazel, that Hazel
When Hazel, that Hazel
When Hazel says hello 



Merry Christmas, All You Doozies!