1700-1720
Spice Box on Stand
Artist/maker unknownImage 1 of 31 / 3
Boxes that housed spices and other treasured objects became popular during the eighteenth century. Their use developed out of an earlier tradition of securing small objects---such as fragile porcelains, exotic ivories, gems, unusual shells, and fossils---in highly ornamented cabinets. These reliquaries were prized not only for the spices they safeguarded, but also for the skill required to make them. Owners often prominently displayed their spice boxes on tabletops, pedestals, and chests.
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