Etrog box in sterling silver, copper and enamel with wooden liner and finely engraved with the Hebrew inscription of "Pri Eitz Hadar" and an engraving of the "Arba Minim" (four species wrapped together for the Succoth holiday) on lid.
Hallmarked in several places. Albert Edward Jones, Birmingham, 1904. Jones was an early member of the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft and also was partner at Jesson Birkett & Co.
Arts and Crafts Etrog boxes are extremely rare. This superb Etrog box is probably the only one of its kind in existence.
Condition: in overall excellent condition.
Dimensions; 6.5in L., 4.25in W., 4.25in H., 16cm L., 11cm W., 8.5cm H.
19.07ozt Total weight
19.07ozt Total weight
A.E Jones Ltd. established by Albert Edward Jones in the Holloway Head, Birmingham in 1902 is the most important of the individual Birmingham metal working firms in the Arts and Crafts style particularly for its association with the Ruskin Pottery of Edward and William Howson Taylor. Jones registered a mark with the Birmingham Assay Office on 1st December 1902. The small unit he was able to finance had two employees F. Leonard Temple and Edward Colston Harris and their early work was in copper. Silver pieces with the small pottery roundels which Ruskin had started to produce appear in 1903. These include a set of silver buttons, a vase and a preserve jar and spoon.
More designs followed in the 1904-1906 period, some by associate designers Bernard Cuzner and Annie Stubbs. There was a close working relationship between Jones and Jesson, Birkett and Company formed in 1904 with Thomas Birkett as a partner, it being a follow on from the Faulkner Bronze Company. In about 1905-6 Jones acquired access to the Faulkner Bronze process of colouring copper and pieces using this were produced by both Jones, Jesson and Birkett.
See illustration of a similar casket/box which is illustrated in Jone's catalog from 1905, for which he charged £4 17 6 Shillings back in 1905!
See also the book about him & his important work: A. [Albert] Edward Jones Master Silversmith of Birmingham (Arthur Sutton, 1980).
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