EK 1914 1813 Iron Cross

[Daniel Murphy]

Here is a small item I picked up some time ago out of Germany. It is a wooden snuffbox which is inlaid with silver and is lacquered or japanned. The bottom and the lid are each carved from one piece of wood and the hinge is a handmade one using a steel pin and 3 pieces of brass folded around it to form the hinge. The box is 76mm long, 39mm wide and 22mm high. Jappanning was copied from oriental enamel and was used in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries on a variety of materials. With the onset of the industrial revolution items that were once laboriously made by hand could be made much quicker and simpler. After the 1850's metal boxes made of iron or other metals replaced the more fragile wood in their construction. Ok, enough of that, here are the pics.

Dan Murphy

Edited May 13, 2006 by Daniel Murphy

[Daniel Murphy]

Back side showing the hinge.

[Daniel Murphy]

The inside showing a chip.

[Daniel Murphy]

Here is a close of the EK. Notice that each arm is a separate piece. If anyone has any comments, questions or want a closeup of anything, let me know.

Dan Murphy

[joe campbell]

one has to look far and wide to find a group

of decorations with as many offshoots as the

EK. paper, wood, metal, porcelain....

very nice and unusual piece, dan!

joe