Etui
Category
Objets de vertu
Date
c. 1800 - c. 1900
Materials
Walnut shell, glass, metal
Measurements
45 x 35 mm
Order this imageCollection
Coughton Court, Warwickshire
NT 135763.1
Caption
This walnut at Coughton Court, collected by a member of the Throckmorton family, holds some curious contents. Nestled neatly inside the nutshell are two small bottles for scent, two pairs of scissors and a needle-case. This tiny treasure, with its mounted metal hinges, is an etui or nécessaire, a small ornamental case fitted with implements for daily use. Etuis were popular in Europe from the 17th to the 19th centuries and contained a range of miniature contents, including needlework tools, cosmetics and ivory writing tablets. Large walnut shells made ideal novelty containers for transporting small trinkets or jewellery. Another example, in the collection at Snowshill in Gloucestershire, once held a pair of fine Limerick gloves. A number of walnut-shell etuis survive from the 18th and 19th centuries, when they were sold as elegant gifts and love-tokens in Paris. The size and delicacy of the sewing tools inside meant they were best suited to fine needlework, such as embroidery. Interestingly, crushed walnut shells are some- times used in pin cushions to keep needles clean and sharp.
Summary
Walnut shell necessaire/etui containing 2 bottles, 2 pairs scissors and needlecase (and Palais Royale ormolu and mother of pearl dance card).
Provenance
Purchased by the National Trust in 2004 through private treaty sale