Decorative Box
A decorative box is a form of packaging that is generally more than just functional, but also intended to be decorative and artistic. Many such boxes are used for promotional packaging, both commercially and privately.[1] Historical objects are usually called caskets if larger than a few inches in more than one dimension, with only smaller ones called boxes.
Gift Box[edit]
Traditionally gift boxes used for promotional and seasonal gifts are made from sturdy paperboard or corrugated fiberboard. These boxes normally consist of a base and detachable lid and are made by using a die cutting process to cut the board.[2] The box is then covered with decorative paper. Gift boxes can be dressed with other gift packaging material, such as decorative ribbons and gift tissue paper.[3]
Work Box[edit]
The most common type of decorative box is the feminine work box. It is usually fitted with a tray divided into many small compartments for needles, reels of silk and cotton, and other necessaries for stitchery. The date of its origin is unclear, but 17th-century examples exist, covered with silk and adorned with beads and embroidery.[4] No lady would have been without her work box in the 18th century. In the second half of that century, elaborate pains were taken to make these boxes dainty and elegant. Work boxes are ordinarily portable, but at times they form the top of a stationary table.
Jewelry Box[edit]
A jewelry box, also known as a casket, is a receptacle for trinkets, not only jewels. It may take a very modest form, covered in leather and lined with satin, or it may reach the monumental proportions of the jewel cabinets which were made for Marie Antoinette, one of which is at Windsor Castle, and another at the Palace of Versailles; the work of Schwerdfeger as cabinetmaker, Degault as miniature-painter, and Thomire as chaser.[5]
Snuff Box[edit]
One of the more functional types of decorative boxes is the snuff box. While snuff does not enjoy the popularity it once did, it is gradually regaining popularity due to the declining popularity and increased restriction of smoking, and snuff boxes are still made in significant numbers.[6] Snuff boxes are made in two sizes— pocket boxes and communal boxes made for table use. Pocket boxes are usually made to hold a small amount of snuff for immediate consumption—typically a day or two's supply.
Knife Box[edit]
In the Middle Ages people usually brought their own cutlery with them when eating away from home, and the more expensive types came with their own custom-made leather cases, stamped and embossed in various designs. Some of the most elegant and often ornate were in the styles of Robert Adam, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton.[7] Occasionally flat-topped containers, they were most frequently either rod-shaped, or tall and narrow with a sloping top necessitated by a series of raised veins for exhibiting the handles of knives and the bowls of spoons.
Wine Box[edit]
Wooden wine boxes, also known as wooden wine crates, are used to ship and store expensive wines in transit and cellarage. Most wineries that use wooden boxes burn their logo and designs on the front panel. Originally intended as purely practical items, these panels or the whole box are often used by bars or wine collectors as decorative pieces for their bars or wine cellars.[8] A typical wooden wine box holds either six or twelve 750 ml (26 imp fl oz; 25 US fl oz) bottles.
References[edit]
- ↑ Definition of Decorative boxes by The Free Dictionary
- ↑ Gift box definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
- ↑ Magnetic Closure Gift Boxes Large | Custom Luxury Gift Boxes
- ↑ Antique Sewing Needle Cases | Collectors Weekly
- ↑ Mother-of-Pearl Etui with 4 lancets - Phisick | Medical Antiques
- ↑ Silver plated snuff box from Lusitania | National Museums Liverpool
- ↑ A short history of knife boxes | Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers
- ↑ 7 facts about wine boxes that will blow your mind
