American 1910's Arts & Crafts pokerwork Flemish art pyrography box with owl birds
Wonderfully whimsical early 20th century Arts and Crafts pokerwork birch and sycamore box. Square body with a flat hinged lid that is decorated with two eagle-owls sitting on a tree branch.
Great size to be used as a card box or a vide poche.
Made in USA, c. 1910’s
136 g
5.5 x 10 x 10 cm overall
3.8 x 8 x 8 cm inside
Excellent antique condition. The lid doesn’t sit flush; small nicks and nibbles along the interior of the lid.
Wonderfully whimsical early 20th century Arts and Crafts pokerwork birch and sycamore box. Square body with a flat hinged lid that is decorated with two eagle-owls sitting on a tree branch.
Great size to be used as a card box or a vide poche.
Made in USA, c. 1910’s
136 g
5.5 x 10 x 10 cm overall
3.8 x 8 x 8 cm inside
Excellent antique condition. The lid doesn’t sit flush; small nicks and nibbles along the interior of the lid.
Wonderfully whimsical early 20th century Arts and Crafts pokerwork birch and sycamore box. Square body with a flat hinged lid that is decorated with two eagle-owls sitting on a tree branch.
Great size to be used as a card box or a vide poche.
Made in USA, c. 1910’s
136 g
5.5 x 10 x 10 cm overall
3.8 x 8 x 8 cm inside
Excellent antique condition. The lid doesn’t sit flush; small nicks and nibbles along the interior of the lid.
Pyrography is a term used fairly recently to describe an art form that uses heated metal tools to burn designs into wood surfaces. Light-coloured wood have been commonly used for this art form, like beech, birch, sycamore, basswood, and pine. The technique can be traced to the art traditions around the world for thousands of years. It is also referred to as wood burning, burnt wood, wood etch, poker work, and poker art.
At the turn of the 20th century, the invention of pyrography machines and kits for home use popularised the craft. The Flemish Art Company of New York was one of the first companies to supply these new tools, so much so that the name, "Flemish Art" became one more generic term for pyrography.
Pyrography kits were promoted and sold in catalogues and women's magazines as a good pastime for women. They were encouraged to create beautiful items to decorate their homes or be sold to others. Typically, small items like cups and bowls, picture frames and handkerchief boxes were made, but large furniture pieces like chests, cabinets and chairs were also burned.
