Project Information
This box departs a little bit from my usual style, if I have one: the brief for this was that it should look 4000 years old and much travelled.
It was designed to contain a variety of cut and uncut samples of lapis which, there is evidence to suggest, has been mined in Afghanistan for as long as 4000 years. So, with a view to creating the impression of a extremely old and worn leather-covered trunk, it is made from birch plywood veneered with macassar ebony and then veneered again with wany-edged burr yew. All the 'ironwork' - the straps, nails, corners and excutcheon - is made from ebony and the variety of layers give the box a very tactile quality.
The interior is unusually complex - the section at the back of the main interior was intended for phials of different grades of lapis pigments and the 'arcades' were to allow viewing of the contents without needing to remove them. Although this box does now contain some lapis it is used more as a general collector's box for other stones and for various small, interesting and valuable items.
All internal trays and drawers are made from ripple maple and lined with grey velvet to show off the lapis to best effect.
The centre of the lid features a geometric design drawn by the customer which at first I thought didn't really fit with the overall concept. He held his ground and I have to admit he was right. It's not inlaid - the design was carefully cut into the surface and the yew veneer removed to reveal the Macassar ebony underneath.
It was designed to contain a variety of cut and uncut samples of lapis which, there is evidence to suggest, has been mined in Afghanistan for as long as 4000 years. So, with a view to creating the impression of a extremely old and worn leather-covered trunk, it is made from birch plywood veneered with macassar ebony and then veneered again with wany-edged burr yew. All the 'ironwork' - the straps, nails, corners and excutcheon - is made from ebony and the variety of layers give the box a very tactile quality.
The interior is unusually complex - the section at the back of the main interior was intended for phials of different grades of lapis pigments and the 'arcades' were to allow viewing of the contents without needing to remove them. Although this box does now contain some lapis it is used more as a general collector's box for other stones and for various small, interesting and valuable items.
All internal trays and drawers are made from ripple maple and lined with grey velvet to show off the lapis to best effect.
The centre of the lid features a geometric design drawn by the customer which at first I thought didn't really fit with the overall concept. He held his ground and I have to admit he was right. It's not inlaid - the design was carefully cut into the surface and the yew veneer removed to reveal the Macassar ebony underneath.