During the 19th century the south westerly corner of Ireland experienced a mild tourist boom among those seeking out idyllic Lakeland views. The town of Killarney became associated with the manufacture of souvenir ware which flourished between 1845 to 1880. The various inlaid trinket boxes, cabinets, egg cups and games boxes were crafted from an array of colourful indigenous woods. Bog-oak, holly, yew and sycamore were among the woods utilised, but the dark heartwood and light sap wood of arbutus unedo is more typically and uniquely associated with Killarney. This shrub, more commonly known as the strawberry tree, originated from the Mediterranean but the flourished in the mild damp climate of this Irish region.
The decorative work was often naive in style but elaborately inlaid with local scenes and engravings found in guide-books. As seen in this lot, the technique of pyrography has been used to highlight the characteristic details of the architectural ruins. Local fauna, for example the fern, and flora was also appropriated.
We are grateful for the help of Dr. B.Cotton in the cataloguing of this lot.