Patch Box

Birmingham, England

About 1790

  • Titles Patch Box (Descriptive)
  • Medium enameled copper with gilt metal mounts
  • Dimensions 1 1/8 × 1 3/4 × 1 7/8 in. (2.9 × 4.4 × 4.8 cm)
  • Credit Line Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Catherine H. Collins Collection, AFI.512.1998
  • Work Type patch box
  • Classification Containers

See More of the Collection

Deep, round, footed bowl of red earthenware, the sides are decorated with an alternating pattern of horizontal lines and stylized sheaves of wheat, the bright blue glaze of the body (the foot is left unglazed) pools in the crevices of the design to leave the color of the clay visible on the raised portions, the glaze also thins at the rim to reveal the color of the clay beneath.
Rectangular tablet of solid light blue jasper with dark blue jasper dip and white relief decoration depicting five of the nine Muses—Erato with her kithara, Muse of choral dance and song; Melpomene holding a dagger, Muse of tragedy; Calliope writing, Muse of epic poetry; Thalia holding a comic mask, Muse of comedy; and Urania next to her globe, Muse of astronomy.
Box with Inset Compass, wood, lacquer
Canopic jar in two parts, the upper part of molded, solid white jasper with applied light blue jasper decoration, in the form of a pharaoh’s head wearing an Egyptian headdress, the lower section of solid white jasper with light blue jasper dip and applied white jasper relief decoration with bands of hieroglyphs and zodiac symbols along with Egyptian motifs, on round foot.