Box — The Dudley Box, England, 1579
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1579
Box in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number M.665-1910), made in England, dated 1579. The museum's brief description reads: The Dudley Box. Museum description: Object TypeThis small box was designed to contain sweetmeats which in the 16th century were given as presents at New Year.
This may explain why a comparatively humble object should be dated.PeopleInside the lid, inlaid in silver, is the crest of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (died 1588) the favourite of Elizabeth I. This box must have been made specially for him and was almost certainly given to him as a present. Curiously the box was never opened in the museum until 1968 when the crest was seen for the first time.Materials & MakingThe box is decorated in a technique known as damascening in which gold and silver ribbon is pushed into the cross hatched surface of iron using a copper tool.
The iron was darkened to a blue or black colouring using heat or chemicals to contrast with the gold and silver ornament. In the 16th century this technique was especially popular in northern Italy for the decoration of arms, armour and wrought iron. Damascening of a similar character appears on… The museum records it as Iron, damascened with gold and silver, measuring Height 3.9 cm; Width 9.4 cm; Depth 5.8 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Object TypeThis small box was designed to contain sweetmeats which in the 16th century were given as presents at New Year. This may explain why a comparatively humble object should be dated.PeopleInside the lid, inlaid in silver, is the crest of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (died 1588) the favourite of Elizabeth I. This box must have been made specially for him and was almost certainly given to him as a present. Curiously the box was never opened in the museum until 1968 when the crest was seen for the first time.Materials & MakingThe box is decorated in a technique known as damascening in which gold and silver ribbon is pushed into the cross hatched surface of iron using a copper tool. The iron was darkened to a blue or black colouring using heat or chemicals to contrast with the gold and silver ornament. In the 16th century this technique was especially popular in northern Italy for the decoration of arms, armour and wrought iron. Damascening of a similar character appears on the lock and barrel of the English wheel-lock pistol from Belchamp Hall, on display in Gallery 58A.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- iron, gold, silver
- Dimensions
- Height 3.9 cm; Width 9.4 cm; Depth 5.8 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Iron, damascened with gold and silver
- Place recorded
- England
Identification
- Museum object name
- Box
- Museum object number
- M.665-1910
- Museum system number
- O78628
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.