[Rarebooks] FS: 1824 Book on Westminster Tobacco Box

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

 From our new Books on the Decorative & Fine Arts Catalog
<http://www.joslinhall.com/Catalog378.pdf>

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.

Paula Hardwick ("Discovering Horn") notes- "Many fine examples of horn 
and hornwork are set in silver. Perhaps one of the most intriguing 
stories in this connection is the history of the Westminster tobacco 
box." A famous and 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. Hardwick 
concludes- "The famous receptacle for the fragrant weed is not only the 
biggest in the world, but unquestionably an historical curiosity in the 
bargain".

Hardcover. 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.  [39334]  $450

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