[Rarebooks] FS: 1824 Study of Most Elaborate Silver Tobacco Box

[Joslin Hall Rare Books, ABAA]

Stephenson, Simon.  "Representations of the Embossed, Chased & Engraved
Subjects and Inscriptions which decorate the Tobacco Box and Cases
belonging to the Past Overseers Society, of the Parishes of St. Margaret
and St. John the Evangelist, in the City of Westminster"

London; J. Clark: 1824.

A rather incredible production, this elaborate tobacco box was passed from
overseer to overseer.  The box was originally but a simple horn box for a
pocket, and was purchased at a fair by Overseer Henry Monck.  Upon leaving
office in 1713 he presented it to the Society, and its members, out of
"respect to the donor, ornamented it with a silver rim, on which his named
was engraved".  Thus began a tradition that each departing overseer would
add some silver ornament to the box when leaving office.  Having run out
of room on the original box, an additional case was soon added, and then
another, and then another, and then... and on and on through the 18th
century and into the 19th.

In addition, it was tradition that the new ornamentation or case would
contain a pictorial or word record of significant events of the years
since the last overseer.  These scenes and ornaments were quite elaborate,
not mere chased leaves.  They included numerous interior scenes,
portraits, architectural scenes, a depiction of the court scene when the
box was held by a past overseer and the Society went to court to reclaim
it, a full-blown scene of a British frigate defeating a French ship at
sea, the Peace Proclamation of 1802, the China Fleet repulsing a French
naval squadron, the Jubilee and Death of George III, the bombardment and
capture of Algiers, a battlefield scene of the victory of Wellington at
Waterloo, the interior of the House of Commons during the trial of Queen
Caroline, and so on.  The standard of engraving, both on the box and in
this book, was quite high.

A unique piece of commemorative silver, beautifully and elaborately
documented.

10.5"x14.5", engraved pictorial title page plus 11 pages of text and 32
plates (numbered 1-34; two double-page plates numbered as 2 plates each);
2 page list of subscribers.  Bound in old boards with a newer plain
leather spine; boards with soil, chips and a light vertical
wrinkle/crease; endpapers lightly soiled, and some very light soil here
and there internally, but overall internally a fine, bright, wide-margined
copy and a very crisp impression.  With Henry A. Hunt's bookplate and a
penciled note that he purchased this book at the J.C. Noble sale of 1890. 
$875.00



JOSLIN HALL RARE BOOKS, ABAA
Fine books of the 16th-20th centuries
on the decorative and fine arts & design

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