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Lot Essay
A virtually identical mother-of-pearl case is illustrated in Michael Clayton, The Collector's Dictionary of the Silver and Gold of Great Britain and North America, London, 1971, p. 276.
Mother-of-pearl is composed of thin, flat calcium carbonate plates secreted by certain molluscs and arranged in layers around the inside of the shell. The iridescence of mother-of-pearl is a result of the refraction of the light through the many layers. The waters in which the shell is fished determine the colour of mother-of-pearl, in warmer seas near the equator range from pink through auburn to black, although white mother-of-pearl has always been the most prized.
The hard outer layer must be removed before the mother-of-pearl can be worked. As a soft material, mother-of-pearl can be carved by hand or dissolved in acid, those areas to remain in relief being protected by wax. The mother-of-pearl can then be polished with abrasives or acid to regain its lustre. Carving and engraving can be carried out with goldsmith's tools.
Large quantities of mother-of-pearl were brought to Europe by the British and Dutch East India Companies from the 17th Century onwards. Here it was used frequently as a material for inlay or marquettery. Dutch artists like the members of the Belquin family and Dirck van Rijswijck were very famous for their plaques and marquetry. Vessels embellished with mother-of-pearl were produced throughout Europe. In the 18th Century Paris mother-of-pearl was an extremely fashionable material for snuff boxes, etuis and gold mounted boxes of all types. In Holland these plaques were produced by J.B. Barckhuysen (ca. 1710-1760), C. la Motte and J.C. Konsé. Mother-of-pearl was also utilized in Chinese carving workshops where export-products were made for the European market. Stilistic motifs suggest that the present casket was made in one of these Cantonese workshops.
Literature:
J. Turner (ed.), 'Mother-of-Pearl' in: The dictionary of art, London, New York, 1996.
H.W. van Seeters, Oud-Nederlandse parelmoerkunst, het werk van leden der familie Belquin, parelmoergraveurs en schilders in de 17e eeuw, Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 9, 1958, pp. 173-239.
H.W. van Seeters, 'Parelmoerkunstenaars in de 18de eeuw. Het werk van J.B. Barckhuysen, J.C. Konsé, C. la Motte', in: Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 17, 1966, pp 247-263.
Clunas, C., Chinese export and design, Museum Catalogue, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1978.
See illustrations
Mother-of-pearl is composed of thin, flat calcium carbonate plates secreted by certain molluscs and arranged in layers around the inside of the shell. The iridescence of mother-of-pearl is a result of the refraction of the light through the many layers. The waters in which the shell is fished determine the colour of mother-of-pearl, in warmer seas near the equator range from pink through auburn to black, although white mother-of-pearl has always been the most prized.
The hard outer layer must be removed before the mother-of-pearl can be worked. As a soft material, mother-of-pearl can be carved by hand or dissolved in acid, those areas to remain in relief being protected by wax. The mother-of-pearl can then be polished with abrasives or acid to regain its lustre. Carving and engraving can be carried out with goldsmith's tools.
Large quantities of mother-of-pearl were brought to Europe by the British and Dutch East India Companies from the 17th Century onwards. Here it was used frequently as a material for inlay or marquettery. Dutch artists like the members of the Belquin family and Dirck van Rijswijck were very famous for their plaques and marquetry. Vessels embellished with mother-of-pearl were produced throughout Europe. In the 18th Century Paris mother-of-pearl was an extremely fashionable material for snuff boxes, etuis and gold mounted boxes of all types. In Holland these plaques were produced by J.B. Barckhuysen (ca. 1710-1760), C. la Motte and J.C. Konsé. Mother-of-pearl was also utilized in Chinese carving workshops where export-products were made for the European market. Stilistic motifs suggest that the present casket was made in one of these Cantonese workshops.
Literature:
J. Turner (ed.), 'Mother-of-Pearl' in: The dictionary of art, London, New York, 1996.
H.W. van Seeters, Oud-Nederlandse parelmoerkunst, het werk van leden der familie Belquin, parelmoergraveurs en schilders in de 17e eeuw, Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 9, 1958, pp. 173-239.
H.W. van Seeters, 'Parelmoerkunstenaars in de 18de eeuw. Het werk van J.B. Barckhuysen, J.C. Konsé, C. la Motte', in: Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 17, 1966, pp 247-263.
Clunas, C., Chinese export and design, Museum Catalogue, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1978.
See illustrations