Rogers Series 12: Workboxes
Series 12. A wooden, piano-shaped, fitted workbox including nine needlework tools.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, workboxes were treasured personal items as well as places in which to store sewing tools. They often came with a key and a lock because sewers kept in them not only needlework patterns but also private notes or letters. Workboxes were designed and created by skilled artisans and could be made out of materials such as tortoiseshell, leather, or wood. The exterior often had some sort of geometric or floral carved, painted, or stained design. The main section was lined with fabrics such as silk, velvet, or even embossed paper, which was fashionable as an inexpensive imitation of carved plaster or stamped leather linings. There were usually several divided compartments in the interior that held tools including thread, scissors, and needlebooks; some even had built-in pincushions. Some workboxes were fitted, meaning that they came with those tools upon purchase. Some large workboxes included mirrors, display shelves, or lift-out partitioned trays below which a sewer could store larger stitching pieces or needlework tools. The tradition of the mostly handmade and luxuriously fitted workbox largely disappeared by World War I.
This series includes the subseries of English, British Indian, American, French, and Chinese workboxes. Some still contain needlework tools, while others are empty except for their trays. All have elaborate designs on the box and lid. A few of the workboxes even have music boxes inside, either built in or inside a specific compartment. This series clearly illustrates the dual purpose of the workbox: a place for sewing tools and personal items, all in an organized and intricately decorated object.