Precious Time: A Cabinet Clock from Augsburg, 1700-1725

Cabinet Clock
1700-1725
Augsburg (Made)
Meissen (Tea Set, Made)
This and all related images courtesy of
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This artful arrangement of wood, boulle marquetry, tortoiseshell, silver, silver-gilt, inlaid mother-of-pearl, ivory, enamel, brass, pietre dure, faceted garnets, turquoise, micromosaic, velvet, porcelain, mirrored glass, gilt bronze, and oil paint on copper sheeting makes for one very involved, brilliant timepiece.


This monumental cabinet clock comes from Augsburg. Both Augsburg and Nuremberg were hubs of important clock making from the 1650 through 1750. Master craftsmen from a variety of media would join forces to create majestic and unusual cases for the clock. This, surely, is one of the finest examples of their capabilities.

Truly extraordinary, this cabinet clock is comprises of nearly twenty costly different materials. Coupled with the high cost of labor for such a piece, surely this was a royal or, at least, noble commission. We don’t know for whom the clock was originally produced, however, the curators at the V&A have determined that this was the same clock that once belonged to Lord Rosebery, British Prime Minister from 1894-5, as evidenced by photographs of the Lord from that time period (see the black and white picture detail below).

Though the clock is certainly interesting in all that’s apparent, from the little Buddha figures to the impressive inlay-work, it also contains some hidden treasures which aren’t immediately seen. For example, a neatly in-set drawer contains a Meissen tea set in a pattern which matches the clock as well as a silver picture frame.

This was a gift to the V&A from Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde—two of the world's foremost decorative arts collectors, and was included in their 1996 bequest of silver, mosaics, enameled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.

Unusual Artifacts: The Nautilus Powder Flask, 19th C.

Nautilus Powder Flask
Pakistan, Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

 

The elegant but impractical black powder firearms of the Nineteenth Century required the constant reapplication of powder to make them shoot.  So, powder flasks were an important part of their operation.  Powder flasks usually came in two sizes.  The largest size was used to hold coarse grain powder which was employed for the main charge in the barrel.

Here’s an example of the type of powder flask which was used for coarse powder. This flask was almost certainly used with a hunting or sporting weapon.  In those cases, more so than in war, these accessories were more decorated and made of higher quality materials to reflect the status of the owner.  In this case, the powder flask is made from the shell of the pearly nautilus with carved mother-of-earl panels applied with metal pins and a turned finial to which red silk cord attachments are fixed.

It was made in Lahore, Pakistan during the first half of the Nineteenth Century.

Unfolding Pictures: Fan Depicting Claudia Proving Her Innocence, 1740

Fan Depicting Claudia Proving Her Innocence
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click Image to Enlarge

Fan Depicting "Claudia Proving Her Innocence"
Italian, 1740
Kid Leather, Pierced Ivory, Mother-of-Pearl
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Claudia Quinta was a Vestal Virgin. Her job was to tend the fire at the Forum which had been brought by Aeneas from Troy to Rome—as one does with fire. As was often the case with those wacky Vestal Virgins, there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding her virtue and she ended up being accused of adultery. One would think that with all the fire-tending, she wouldn’t have had the time for other pursuits, but there you have it. Claudia was forced to prove her innocence. And, she managed to do it with the help of the Goddess Cybele. Fair enough. You see, she proved her chastity by pulling a ship with the strings of her girdle. Now, how that shows her to be chaste, I’m not sure. If anything, it proves she had a strong midsection and nothing more, but nevertheless, the elders saw this miraculous bit of naval and navel fortitude to be evidence enough that she wasn’t an adulterous, but rather a freakishly strong, happy little Vestal Virgin. Imagine what she could have done if she had Spanx.

This fan with pierced ivory sticks and mother-of-pearl guards sports a kid leather leaf painting with a scene of Claudia as she moves the ship, aided by Cybele. Created in 1740 by an unknown Italian fan-maker, the fan was a favorite of Princess Charlotte, the daughter of King George IV. When Princess Charlotte died in childbirth, many of her belongings were bequeathed to her dresser/friend, Mrs. Louis. Upon Mrs. Louis’ death on Easter Sunday of 1838, this fan and a number of other personal mementos which had belonged to the Princess were given to Queen Victoria. Victoria put this fan on display because she believed it to be quite fine and attractive. And, it truly is.

Finely painted with beautiful workmanship in the sticks and guards, the beauty of this fan has not faded in over two centuries.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Harrods Shoe Snuffbox, c. 1870

Snuffbox, 1870-1880
The Talbot Collection at
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the Nineteenth Century, boots and shoes were symbols of good luck. So, it was only natural that trinkets and personal objects should take the form of footwear. This snuffbox, dating between 1870 and 1880, is an excellent example of that phenomenon. The box is made in the shape of a fashionable Victorian lady’s button-boot of the 1860s. It is even adorned with metal studs just like the real thing would have been. The top of the boot forms the container for the snuff.

It’s a sure thing that this box was made in England, but other similar examples were imported from France at the time. The lid of the box is missing, but it’s still quite attractive. While most collectible snuffboxes were made of golf, hardstone or precious metals, some—like these novelty boxes—were made of wood. The mahogany box has been carefully hand painted, partly ebonized, and adorned with brass stringing, brass nails in the sole and heel, and brass and mother-of-pearl buttons.

Now part of the V&A’s Talbot Hughes Collection, the box was originally donated to the V&A by Messrs. Harrods of London in 1913. 

Mastery of Design: A Gold, Diamond and Enamel Memorial Slide, 1775-1800

Memorial Slide
French, 1775-1800
The Victoria & Albert Musem

This gold brooch with silver-set rose cut diamonds, adorned with a basket of flowers in seed pearls, mother of pearl and gold--mounted on blue enamel—represents the sort of memorial jewelry which was prevalent in France in the Late Eighteenth Century.

Memorial jewelry was designed to honor a lost loved one. Given the mortality rate, memorial jewelry is one of the largest categories of jewels from this era to survive since it was the most prevalent.

Memorial medallions, brooches or lockets was quite the fashion during this era both in France and Britain. Some of them, like this brooch, could be worn in a variety of ways. For example, this brooch is considered a “slide” since it was, most frequently, worn on a ribbon around the throat. These pieces often incorporated the hair of the deceased either displayed behind glass or Stuart crystal or woven and braided into a design amongst the jewels.

Nei-classical motifs of funerary urns, plinths and obelisks were common themes along with the more traditional cherubs, angels and weeping willows. We should note, however, that not all of these pieces were meant as memorial jewelry. Some of it was meant to express love, friendship and devotion for the living and to act as a keepsake.

Mastery of Design: The Dame Joan Evans Coque de Perle Necklace, 1740

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This necklace of silver is set with coque de perle (snail shells) and diamonds with a pendant and a bow. Made in England between 1740-1760 by an unknown jeweler, the necklace showed the mid-Eighteenth-Century love for the natural by its use of the snail shells which were meant as a substitution for mother-of-pearl.

Later, this piece was acquired by Dame Joan Evans whose extensive collection of jewels was bequeathed to the Victoria & Albert Museum.

History's Runway: A Double-Breasted Sporting Suit, 1904

Double-breasted Sporting Suit
England, 1904
The Victoria & Albert Museum

By the 1890s, light-colored suits such as this one were fashionable for men to wear for summer sports, boating, bicycling, and during visits to the seaside. These suits were comprised of a matching coat, trousers and waistcoat in pin-striped flannel (known as “dittos”) and the outfit was often completed with a straw boater.

The cut of the flannel jacket pictured above is derived from the earlier “reefer” coat—a style which was usually worn for sailing. However, by the end of the Nineteenth Century, fashions were relaxing a bit for men (certainly not to the extent that they are now) and this style was acceptable for social wear at informal, outdoor events.

A gentlemen's etiquette book wrote:

There are special suits for all kinds of outdoor amusements, such as shooting, golfing, tennis, boating, driving, riding, bicycling, fishing, hunting, &c., but into the details of these it is unnecessary to enter. It may be remarked, however, that it is easy to stultify the whole effect of these, however perfectly they may be 'built' by the tailor, by the addition of a single incongruous article of attire; such as a silk hat or patent boots with a shooting-suit. (Mrs Humphry, Manners for Men, London 1897)

This particular pinstripe suit is of exceptional quality with buttons made of mother-of-pearl and a fine cotton lining. It was made in London around 1904.

Unfolding Pictures: Queen Victoria's Pastoral Fan, c. 1850

Hand Fan
Presented to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert, circa 1850

Queen Victoria once favored this painted paper fan with carved and gilded mother-of-pearl sticks and guards.

The fan was a gift to the Queen from Prince Albert circa 1850. The obverse boasts a central cartouche which has been hand-painted with a lush scene of a lady with a sewing box. Flanking this are two pastoral scenes and symmetrical ovoid-roundels painted with floral scenes.

The verso is painted with an elegant and delicate depiction of flowers and a butterfly with Rococo tendencies.

The guards terminate in a metal pin set with a diamond paste.

Mastery of Design: A German Mother-of-Pearl and Jeweled Box, 1730-1740

Box
German, 1730-1740
Mother-of-Pearl, Gold, Diamonds, Rubies, Hyacinth, Emeralds
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Germany for export to Austria between 1730 and 1740, this box was designed to hold small personal items. Such boxes were the pinnacle of opulence and were considered symbols of enormous wealth and social standing. 

This particular box is crafted from mother-of-pearl, mounted in piqué with gold, and set with brilliant-cut diamonds, rubies, emeralds, jacinth (hyacinth) and garnets. It was exported from Vienna to England in 1806 where it was quickly appreciated for its workmanship and reliance on organic design themes. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Vanier-Chardin Fan, 1690

Folding Fan with a Leather and Paper Leaf, Ivory sticks and guards and mother-of-pearl ornament.
French, 1690
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This folding fan was made in the late Seventeenth Century and depicts a domestic scene in the sort of pastoral setting which was fashionable at the time. Here, amongst a view of shepherds an aristocrats, we see a child who has been fitted with tapes from the shoulders. This was a way of keeping a child steady while he or she learned to walk.

Folding fans such as this one originated in Japan and were introduced to Europe in the second half of the Sixteenth Century. While the construction of such fans was adopted by Europeans, they did away with traditional Asian adornment in favor of the European styles of the time. Carving and painting skills specific to fan production soon developed and an entire industry thrived for centuries as a fan was an essential accessory in the formal dress of a wealthy woman.

A perfect example of the work of the era, this French fan is constructed with a leather leaf which as been painted with gouache. It features sticks of pierced ivory, with mother of pearl washers and a brass rivet. The reverse of the leaf is mounted with paper which has also been painted in gouache

The leaves each have a ground wash of silver, some of which is visible in the sky and on the ground in the scenes. The reverse is painted with roses, peonies and jasmine. The original fan box of imitation and pink silk survives.

Mastery of Design: The Pratbernon Nécessaire, 1766

Necessities Case
English, 1766
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A “nécessaire” was a purely luxury object designed to hold a whole range of personal and toiletry items. Scent bottles, cosmetic cases, medicine bottles, writing implements, moustache combs, ear spoons, scissors, nail tools and a whole host of other items were produced to be stored in matching these matching for use by a woman or man of fashion.

The contents of this example which dates to 1766 include: five bottles with stoppers, a pencil and an ivory writing tablet, scissors, a mirror, a comb, a brush, toothpicks, a tongue scraper, a bodkin combined with a spoon for ear wax, and a file combined with a pair of tweezers.

So who created this lovely Rococo box of wood, silver, hold, tortoise shell, ivory, agate and mother-of-pearl?  Tucked inside the box, visible only if tall of the fittings are removed, are the signature and date “J. Pratbernon / 1766.”  This was probably the John Pratbernon who described as a gold and silver worker living on Oxford Street in 1774.

Another feature which makes this nécessaire all the more exceptional is the inclusion of figured scenes in gold which have been applied atop and along the sides of the case.  The scenes show pastoral groups in then-contemporary dress, acting as a permanent reminder of the style to which the owner of this case aspired. Matching figures surmount the individual bottles.

Join us tomorrow for more pretty things, and, this week's Treat of the Week.  See you then.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Pearl, Moonstone and Peridot Pendant, 1815

Pendant
English, 1815
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delicate pendant of seed pearls mounted on mother-of-pearl is decorated with moonstones and peridots set in gold. The work of an unknown British jeweler, the piece dates to about 1815 and shows the sensibilities of designs of the time.

There’s a distinct reliance on the natural beauty of the stones that allows them to speak for themselves. It’s an interesting piece in that it demonstrates the ideals of the Rococo with a definite nod toward what was then modern design.

Unfolding Pictures: The Chinoiserie Fan, 1760-70

Fan of Chinoiserie Design
French, 1760-1770
Mother of Pearl Sticks and Guards with a Vellum Leaf Painted in Watercolors
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This Chinoiserie fan is an especially fine specimen of those made in France in the Eighteenth Century. Three vignettes are showcased in this complex design. The scenes depict Chinese fishermen, Chinese children playing on a see-saw, and Chinese children making music.

The images appear to be based on designs by Jean-Baptiste Pillement whose designs were published around 1758. In 1760, the year this fan was made, Robert Sayer incorporated Pillement’s designs into a designer’s source book, “The Ladies Amusement” which was meant to give painters complete scenes to use as a basis for their own works.

The fan leaf is mounted on a type of stick known by the French term “battoir” because their rounded, paddle shapes resemble battledore racquets or carpet beaters.  The leaf is comprised of vellum painted in watercolors.  The sticks are made of carved and pierced mother-of-pearl which also depicts Chinoiserie scenes.  These are inlaid with gilt and silver foil and adorned with paste stones.

The Home Beautiful: The False Principles of Decoration Papier Mache Tray, 1850

The Home Beautiful: The False Principles of Decoration Papier Mache Tray, 1850

Papier Mache Tray with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay and Painted Center, c. 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

By now, you know how much I adore Victorian Papier Mache objects.  Along with inlays of mother-of-pearl, these items were often adorned with copies of oil paintings of old buildings or genre scenes.

Here's a great example with a scene of huntsman returning home with fish to cook.  This Papier Mache tray decorated with a painting based on an original which once belonged to the Duke of Devonshire.  The tray was famously part of the exhibition entitled, "False Principles of Decoration" which was held at Marlborough House, London, in 1852.

The catalogue for the exhibition explained that the tray had been selected because of the incongruous combination of the copy of the painting with the gilt border and mother-of-pearl decoration. It described the tray as  "An example of popular taste, presenting numerous features which the student should carefully avoid. These include a copy of the painting 'Bolton Abbey in the Olden Times' by Sir Edwin Landseer, that would be hidden when the tray was in use, and the glittering mother-of-pearl scattered around the edge."

According to the V&A, "Charles Dickens also described 'that tray with a bit of one of Landseer's pictures on it' in his satirical description of the display, 'A House Full of Horrors', which appeared in his magazine Household Words in December 1852."

Well, I like it anyway.

The tray was made by Jennens  & Bettridge, a firm run by Theodore Hyla Jennens and John Bettridge between 1816 and 1864.  They were famous for their exquisite range of papier-mache goods (writing boxes, trays, fans and larger pieces of furniture such as chairs, tables and sofas) which they manufactured in their factory at 99 Constitution Hill, Birmingham. The firm also had premises at 6 Halkin Street West, Belgrave Square, London. This tray is signed indistinctly with the firm's name.

Unfolding Pictures: The Triumph of Harlequin Fan, 1750

Triumph of Harlequin
Fan, 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A beautiful watercolor on kid leather leaf is mounted on carved and pierced mother-of-pearl sticks which are inlaid with silver-gilt foils and yellow gold. This is the “Triumph of Harlequin” Fan and it dates to 1750. It was, most likely, made as a souvenir of Venice’s Carnival.


In the Eighteenth Century, visitors from all over Europe flocked to the Carnival in Venice. Depicted are the distinctively costumed figures associated with the celebrated Italian theatre troupe the Commedia dell’Arte. These costumes were often reproduced for people to wear during Carnival when whole of Venice was transformed into a costumed masquerade.

The painting on the fan leaf is extremely fine and delicate—both front and reverse. Speaking of the reverse, this side shows a naval scene. A tall ship lies anchored by a dark cliff with a glowing sunset behind. It’s decidedly an Italian take on the Eighteenth-Century French art of fan-making.

The Home Beautiful: A Mother-of-Pearl Spectacle Case and Spectacles, 1685-1688

Spectacle Case
The Victoria & Albert Museum

I think this is very pretty, and I’d never have guessed that it is as old as it is. Here, we see a French spectacle case of painted and gilded mother-of-pearl. The case was donated to the V&A still containing a pair of folding spectacles, of tortoise-shell and silver. The spectacles were actually made later in the Eighteenth Century.

The case itself was made in the shape of a pair of spectacles with a high, arched bridge. It is crafted of two sheets of mother-of-pearl, joined by a narrow, molded, strip of silver around the sides and base of the case. One surface of the mother-of-pearl is painted in red, green and yellow with a floral design springing from a trellised flower pot centered on each lens.

This case may have belonged to James II. The painted mother-of-pearl case is of the very highest quality and would have only been available to someone of Royal or noble birth. A letter that accompanied the spectacles, from the Eighteenth Century, describes how the case passed from James's son, the Old Pretender, through several hands, until it came into the possession of a Mr. Walker in 1770.

Unfolding Pictures: Fan Depicting Claudia Proving Her Innocence, 1740

Fan Depicting Claudia Proving Her Innocence
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click Image to Enlarge

Fan Depicting "Claudia Proving Her Innocence"
Italian, 1740
Kid Leather, Pierced Ivory, Mother-of-Pearl
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Claudia Quinta was a Vestal Virgin. Her job was to tend the fire at the Forum which had been brought by Aeneas from Troy to Rome—as one does with fire. As was often the case with those wacky Vestal Virgins, there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding her virtue and she ended up being accused of adultery. One would think that with all the fire-tending, she wouldn’t have had the time for other pursuits, but there you have it. Claudia was forced to prove her innocence. And, she managed to do it with the help of the Goddess Cybele. Fair enough. You see, she proved her chastity by pulling a ship with the strings of her girdle. Now, how that shows her to be chaste, I’m not sure. If anything, it proves she had a strong midsection and nothing more, but nevertheless, the elders saw this miraculous bit of naval and navel fortitude to be evidence enough that she wasn’t an adulterous, but rather a freakishly strong, happy little Vestal Virgin. Imagine what she could have done if she had Spanx.

This fan with pierced ivory sticks and mother-of-pearl guards sports a kid leather leaf painting with a scene of Claudia as she moves the ship, aided by Cybele. Created in 1740 by an unknown Italian fan-maker, the fan was a favorite of Princess Charlotte, the daughter of King George IV. When Princess Charlotte died in childbirth, many of her belongings were bequeathed to her dresser/friend, Mrs. Louis. Upon Mrs. Louis’ death on Easter Sunday of 1838, this fan and a number of other personal mementos which had belonged to the Princess were given to Queen Victoria. Victoria put this fan on display because she believed it to be quite fine and attractive. And, it truly is.

Finely painted with beautiful workmanship in the sticks and guards, the beauty of this fan has not faded in over two centuries.