Sis and I were cleaning out one of the dresser drawers last week, trying to make room for clothing. Now, I know where I picked up the habit of sticking things in the closest drawer...
For years, Mother's original engagement ring and wedding band were in this little celluloid ring box, purchased in 1946. The bottom of the clamshell was lined with maroon velvet, with a slot for the rings to sit side-by-side. The bands had worn thin, and they had been retired to the jewelry box in which they were purchased and replaced with a new one. The last time I saw this box, the hinges still worked and her rings were still in it. Currently, they are safely stored in the safe deposit box, although they are worth little if anything in terms of the value of the gold and diamond--it is a small little chip of a diamond hardly visible, let alone worth stealing.
Celluloid was one stage of development as we moved into the world of plastics. It was cheap, easily molded, and often used for items that might once have been carved from ivory or horn. In addition to ring boxes, it was used to make jewelry and dresser sets--the comb, brush, and mirror sets that adorned the dressing table of girls and women. Google celluloid ring boxes and you will bring up hundreds of designs and colors, ranging in price from a few dollars to a hundred dollars, depending on the condition, color, and intricacy of design of the ring box. The Art Deco designs were among the most popular apparently, and came in stunning colors with interesting detail.
2 comments:
So simple and yet, elegant.
This one was very simple, compared to many I found when researching it. It is interesting that so many of the things we never thought much about before command such interest now.
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