A Concise History of Antique Jewelry Boxes

Antique jewelry boxes are some of the morevariety of purposes. In Asia boxes have been found
interesting, charming, and affordable objects that canmade of wood or china and sometimes covered with
be collected. The fact that small boxes have longsilk. The Northwest Native Americans constructed
been popular to hold jewelry and other trinkets isfine boxes of cedar that were used for a variety of
evidenced by specimens that were found inpurposes including storage of jewelry.
archaeological sites from ancient Egypt, Babylon etc.The Industrial Revolution brought many changes
and dating from at least 3000 BCE. The boxes werethroughout the world with the introduction of mass
commonly used by people such as the Greeks andproduction. Even the most ornate box was less
Romans and have continued to grow in popularityexpensive than those previously available because
until the present day today when nearly everyonethey were more quickly made and in larger numbers
owns a jewelry box.than handcrafted boxes. The increased prosperity
Before the 19th Century, specialists handmade boxes.that followed the industrial revolution meant more
These people were fine craftsmen who worked inpeople could buy luxury items. Another change was
wood, fabric, and metals such as bronze, silver andthe introduction of catalogs that made goods like the
gold. Almost any material can be used to makejewelry box available to the most rural shopper.
boxes. For example, in ancient Egypt ebony, calcite,Because 19th and early 20th Century jewelry boxes
faience, gilt, and ivory were preferred for decorativewere sold in great numbers, they are common. This
boxes. The Romans used wood, ivory, and fineavailability permits the collector to specialize in eras
metals, as well as bronze for boxes that served asuch as Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco.