Ever wondered when the intricately carved unique jewelry box made its first appearance? Although jewelry has been worn by even our stone age ancestors, it is difficult to trace the history of the jewelry box. The jewelry box was initially known as ‘jewelry casket’ and is thought to have originated in Egypt as the Egyptians had the habit of hiding their jewelry in ceramic jars when they set out on a journey. And specimens of small trinket boxes have been unearthed at archaeological sites of ancient Babylon and Egypt dating back to 3000 BC. Small boxes that were crudely nailed together were also found that might have been used to keep jewelry safe.
There is some evidence of wood being used to create jewelry boxes in Egypt, Rome, and Asia many centuries ago. A few popular materials used in early days were bronze, calcite, antimonial lead, ivory, and boxes from Asia were covered with rich silk material. The boxes were usually electroplated with copper and finished with silver or gold, or even ivory.
Cedar was used by native Americans in the north-west to make intricate jewelry boxes. The ‘Age of Walnut’ which folloed the ‘Age of Oak’ gained popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries. You would find boxes displayed with some extraordinarily ornate mother-of-pearl or ivory inlays.
Jewelry boxes slowly became popular heirlooms to be handed down to the next generation, and also collected by travellers as souvenirs of their visit to exotic places. A beautifully crafted wooden jewelry box was a very precious and rare art piece that was treasured for hundreds of years. A superbly crafted wooden box made of high quality wood can retain its charm over several centuries. It reawakens forgotten memories and serves as a relic of the past.
Mass production of jewelry boxes during the Industrial Revolution made them easily available to people. This dramatically reduced the demand for these boxes and brought the prices down considerably. The Mail Order business, which followed made it easier to order your jewelry boxes from home. This, however, did not affect the demand for the specially customized and handcrafted jewelry boxe.
Nineteenth century craftsmen displayed more skill in intricately carving jewelry boxes out of bronze, gold, silver, fabric, and most importantly, wood. The wooden jewelry box has retained its popularity and charm over time. Some of the art forms that influenced the beautiful workmanship of those days were the Victorian, Art Deco, and Art Nouveau styles.
A customized wood jewelry box has not just utility value but also immense value as a charming and affordable collectible. It adorns the dressers of the rich and famous and exemplifies constantly changing trends, handcrafting styles, art forms, and materials. An antique wooden jewelry box, unlike boxes made of other materials, definitely increases in value over time.
This article was brought to you by MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!
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April 21st, 2011
goldfinger
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