Vinaigrette box
1830
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Length: 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
British, Birmingham
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Herbert K. Reis, in memory of Rose-Frances K. Reis (Mrs. Ralph A. Reis), 1983
Accession Number
1983.575.34
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite vinaigrette box, crafted by Birmingham silversmith Thomas Shaw 1830, exemplifies refined metalwork of early 19th-century Britain. just 1 1/2 inches in length, this diminutive silver treasure was designed as a portable scent container, holding vinegar-soaked sponges or aromatic powders to ward off foul urban odors in an era before modern sanitation. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, it reflects Birmingham's status as a hub for high-quality silver production, gifted in 1983 in memory of Rose-Frances K. Reis. Silver vinaigr...