Decorative arts — 1776-1800
Box
Somerset House, designed by the architect Sir William Chambers, was constructed on the site of an earlier Tudor palace between 1776 and 1780. It was designed principally as offices for government with additional accommodation for three learned societies - the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries.
The lid of this oval enamel box is decorated with a handcoloured transfer print of the north elevation of Somerset House fronting the Strand, with the added words 'A London Gift.' above the image and 'Somerset House' below. The base of the box is enamelled in pale blue. The interior is white enamel with a mirror inside the lid. Such boxes were made in the Midlands, especially at Bilston and Birmingham, and sold by London shopkeepers as souvenirs.
- Category:
- Decorative arts
- Object ID:
- A27370
- Object name:
- box
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1776-1800
- Material:
enamel, glass, copper alloy
- Measurements/duration:
- H 26 mm, W 55 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.