Cigarette Box thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 68, The Whiteley Galleries

Cigarette Box

1898-1899 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Arthur Dixon started the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft in 1895. Its aim was to produce work in precious and non-precious metals. Like Charles Robert Ashbee's Guild of Handicraft, the work of the Birmingham Guild was simple in shape and the ornament austere. The surfaces were softly planished rather than brilliantly polished. The aims and organisation of the Birmingham Guild, however, were more thoroughly commercial than those of the Guild of Handicraft.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, embossed and engraved
Brief description
Silver, Birmingham hallmarks for 1898-9, mark of the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft.
Physical description
Silver, the hinged lid decorated with embossed and engraved stylised interlacing foliage.
Dimensions
  • Height: 5.5cm
  • Length: 14.0cm
  • Width: 9.0cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
BGHO all within a triangular shaped shield for the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft. Birmingham hallmarks for 1898-9.
Credit line
Bequeathed by R. H. Roberts
Object history
Acquisition RF: 54 / 1229
Bequest - R H Roberts
Dorsington Manor, Stratford - Upon - Avon
Arthur Dixon started the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft in 1895 to produce work in precious and non precious metals. Like Ashbee's Guild of Handicraft, the work of the Birmingham Guild was simple in shape, the ornament austere and the surfaces softly planished rather than brilliantly polished. Their aims and organisation however were more thoroughly commercial than those of Ashbee's.
Subject depicted
Summary
Arthur Dixon started the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft in 1895. Its aim was to produce work in precious and non-precious metals. Like Charles Robert Ashbee's Guild of Handicraft, the work of the Birmingham Guild was simple in shape and the ornament austere. The surfaces were softly planished rather than brilliantly polished. The aims and organisation of the Birmingham Guild, however, were more thoroughly commercial than those of the Guild of Handicraft.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.342-1955

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Record createdMarch 3, 2004
Record URL
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