Patch Box
John Dixwell
1721–25
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
1.2 × 3.7 × 2.5 cm (1/2 × 1 5/16 × 1 in.)
Classification
container
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
104088
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Like the other silver patch box displayed in this gallery, this piece was created to store small paper or fabric patches that were worn on the face by men and women to disguise blemishes or for decorative purposes. The engraved tulip design on the cover is typical of Dixwell’s work and may have been inspired by a book of engraved patterns. An inscription on the bottom indicates that Abigail Taylor of Lynn, Massachusetts, may have been the original owner of the box.