An 18th-century oak document box with the lid stamped on the interior: VIRTUOSI PROVIDENT; underside of lid painted: Bought at Sale of the great/VIRTUOSO/Horace Walpole/Earl of Orford. Metal handles now missing. Formerly stored in the Round Tower at Strawberry Hill. With a key., Title devised by curator., Text from the 1842 Catalogue of the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole: A stout wainscot box, lock and key, and a deal ditto [The deal bookcase ...]., and Also available as a digital reproduction.
Oval toned plaster plaque reproducing in low relief an engraved portrait of African American poet Phillis Wheatley used as the frontispiece of Wheatley's Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (London: Printed for A. Bell, bookseller, Aldgate; and sold by Messrs. Cox and Berry, King-Street, Boston, 1773). The engraving was made after a portrait attributed to African American slave and artist Scipio Moorhead. As in the engraving, the words "Phillis Wheatley, Negro Servant to Mr. John Wheatley of Boston" appear around the perimeter of the plaque. It is not signed or dated; the attribution to Meta Warrick Fuller was made by Grace Nail Johnson, sister-in-law of the donor
Description:
Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (1877-1968), African American sculptor, painter, and poet who lived and worked in Paris and Philadelphia in the early twentieth century., Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), African American poet in Boston, Massachusetts., Lettering in English., and Title from lettering on plaque.
Subject (Geographic):
United States.
Subject (Name):
Fuller, Meta Warrick, 1877-1968. and Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784
Subject (Topic):
African American sculptors, African American women poets, Poets, American, and Sculptors
Though destroyed by the storm may her soul rest in peace
Description:
Title from text on obverse., With: A single sheet printed appeal for gifts of money in exhange for a pewter token., and For associated printed sheet, search by call number: 66 821 T627.
Obverse: In center, full-length portrait of Jeffery Dunstan facing right; legend inscription with Dunstan's name and title as Mayor of Garrat. Reverse: In center, six lines of inscription with T. Hall's address and date, the penulitimate line is much larger letters than the others and the legend inscription advertising Hall's taxidermy services
Alternative Title:
T. Hall, Citty Road near Finsbury Square, London, 1795
Description:
Title from text on obverse side of token., Text from reverse side: T. Hall, Citty Road near Finsbury Square, London, 1795. The first artist in Europe for preserving birds, beasts, &c., Edge: plain., and For further information, consult library staff.
Publisher:
Thomas Hall
Subject (Name):
Hall, Thomas (Taxidermist), Dunstan, Jeffery, 1759?-1797., and Dunstan, Jeffery, 1759?-1797,
Papier-mâché snuff box with a cylindrical body and a repeating gilt-rosette and latticework grid design, cover damaged. Housed with a 20th-century sample of snuff from Horace Walpole's tobacconist (Fribourg & Treyer)., Title from dealer's catalog., Acquired as having been owned by Walpole at Strawberry Hill. Note that this snuffbox is not mounted in gold., and Text from the 1842 Catalogue of the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole: Ditto, red colour, mounted with gold. (Description of previous lot to which ditto refers: A curious old green colour papier mâché French snuff box, mounted with gold.)
The profile of an actor in the role of a Spanish nobleman bears a strong resemblance to that of David Garrick, in costume on stage looking left, arm raised in a dramatic gesture. Garrick's rule over the English stage was absolute for over thirty years. He went to London with Dr. Johnson in 1737, and by 1741 had progressed to his famous portrayal of Richard III, which made his reputation. Garrick was accomplished in seventeen Shakespearian roles and was also a gifted playwright and producer
Alternative Title:
Shadow box framed depiction David Garrick on stage
Description:
One of a pair of shadowboxes. The other box was titled in the 2005 Christie's appraisal: A shadowbox framed depiction of two actors in performance. and Provenance from a label affixed to the top of one of a pair of boxes, in Mrs. Lewis hand.
The dancer wearing a Roman toga is perhaps David Garrick, with Mrs. Siddons accompanying him on the lute. In his imaginary journey through time, Three tours through London in the years 1748, 1776, 1797 (New Haven, 1941), Wilmarth S. Lewis 'goes' to the London theatre of 1776 where "Garrick still requires that those playing a scene with him shall turn their backs to the audience when addresssing him so that there will be no question whatever of its attention being diverted from him. Failure to observe this rule ... caused young Mrs. Siddons to fall into disfavour and contributed to her dismissal from the company."
Alternative Title:
Shadow box framed depiction two actors in performance
Description:
One of a pair of shadowboxes. The other box is titled: A shadowbox framed depiction David Garrick on stage. and Provenance from a label affixed to the top of one of a pair of boxes, in Mrs. Lewis hand.
Subject (Name):
Garrick, David, 1717-1779. and Siddons, Sarah, 1755-1831.
Title from dealer's catalog., Initialed by artist., and Around the edge is the inscription: "Robertus. Walpole, Ord. Periscellidis. Eques." On the reverse is a full length figure which Horace Walpole mentions in his letter of 15 October 1788 to John Pinkerton: "One [medal of my father] I think was struck by Natter, who was much patronized by my brother, Sir Edward...the consular figure on the medal I meanintended for Cicero; but I believe was copied from a statue belonging to the late Earl of Leicester at Holkham, and which, if I do not mistake at this distance of time, is called Lucius Antonius..." Under the figure the initials MTC [Marcus Tullius Cicero] under which are the initials L.N.
Aloncle, François-Joseph, active 1758-1781, artist
Published / Created:
[not before 1756]
Call Number:
sh-000254 On display in the Long Hall
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
three-dimensional form
Alternative Title:
Cup and saucer
Description:
A soft-paste porcelain Sèvres cup and saucer, painted in enamel with flower motifs and panels of exotic birds by François-Joseph Aloncle (fl. 1758-81), with gilding., Title devised by curator., Text from the 1842 Catalogue of the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole: A beautiful lilac ground variegated pattern old Sevres China cabinet cup and saucer, the paintings enriched by Birds, of brilliant plumage., Marks: on the saucer interlaced L's in blue and date letter M (1765); “N” in script underneath for Aloncle; incised numeral 3; cup incised with reversed “s”., and Also available as a digital reproduction.
A coffer on stand, oak veneered with marquetry of ebony, rosewood, brass, copper, pewter, and tortoiseshell; with gilded mounts. Ormolu mounts stamped with 'C' couronné poinçon, now lined with later red silk., Title devised by curator., Text from 1774 and 1784 Horace Walpole's Description of the Villa: 75 [Round Drawing Room]: A trunk of tortoishell and bronze; by Boul, on a frame of the same; a small jar of Seve china under it., Text from the 1842 Catalogue of the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole: A remarkably fine Old Boule Coffer, a splendid specimen of this work, at an early period, the front elaborately finished with tortoiseshell ground work, massive or-molu mountings, masque handles, chased rosette corners, and lined with blue silk, on a pedestal en-suite, with richly worked boule back and stand for porcelaine., and Also available as a digital reproduction.
