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Lot Essay
The central oval to the lid depicts the Biblical scene of two mothers who appeared before King Solomon, each claiming that the baby held in the arms of one of them was hers. Solomon then ordered the infant be killed and one woman immediately cried out. Solomon found this woman to be the true mother. This tale became quite popular in the 17th Centuries as is came to symbolize the ideals of truth and justice. It also proved gratifying to the current king, in this instance Charles II, as it demonstrated the wisdom of the monarch.
The highlight of a girl's endeavors in embroidery in the 17th Century was the completion of a series of small panels which were then sent to a cabinet maker to be made into a casket or box. These boxes were cherished for their great decorative value as well as a paradigm of accomplishment. A related box is illustrated in L. Synge, Art of Embroidery, Woodbridge, 1988, p. 135, fig. 121. Another, from the collection of Percival Griffiths, is illustrated in R. Edwards and P. MacQuoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. ed., 1954, vol. I., p. 93, fig 22. A further example with a fall front was sold anonymously; Christie's, New York, 16 April 2002, lot 66.
The highlight of a girl's endeavors in embroidery in the 17th Century was the completion of a series of small panels which were then sent to a cabinet maker to be made into a casket or box. These boxes were cherished for their great decorative value as well as a paradigm of accomplishment. A related box is illustrated in L. Synge, Art of Embroidery, Woodbridge, 1988, p. 135, fig. 121. Another, from the collection of Percival Griffiths, is illustrated in R. Edwards and P. MacQuoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. ed., 1954, vol. I., p. 93, fig 22. A further example with a fall front was sold anonymously; Christie's, New York, 16 April 2002, lot 66.