Reference: From Eighth Australiana Virtual Show and Tell Report, December 2020:
Work Box. Circa 1930-1940. Maker unknown, but possibly one of two Queensland makers, either Thomas Griffiths or Heinrich Nielsen. Both used inlaid banding in their boxes and other work; rectangular wooden box with a variety of inlaid veneers as marquetry, parquetry and banding. Blue satin lining. Unusual screws in the hinges. Size: 31 x 23 x 12 cm.
Peter Lane recently found an interesting work box inlaid with a map of Australia (missing Tasmania). Peter set about finding as much as he could about the box. His approach was to share images and ask questions of people he knew. Other members may be interested in following Peter’s approach.
In this example Peter sought information on the best description of the box, knowledge of: the timbers; boxes; sewing tools & equipment, and; from a conservator. Peter communicated with David Bedford (DB) (timbers), Justin Gare (JG) (conservator), Sarah Guest (SG) (boxes in general) and Susan Webster (SW) (sewing-related collectables). Yvonne Barber checked genealogical information.The contributions from each participant are summarised below.
Peter notes at the outset: Consulting with people with a variety of fields is a healthy exercise, although at times it can lead to disappointment it is an important part of the journey of collecting. Here is what the experienced people had to say.
Name: SW writes “I am mounting a one-woman campaign to get people to revert to the old name of 'work boxes’ although they were, in essence, sewing boxes. They sat in full view of visitors on a central table in the reception room of middling class households and held the bits and bobs required for ornamental embroidery and craft projects rather than the domestic
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mending! In other words they were to an extent status symbols - and yours would fall into this category - it’s a goody.”
Dating – The Northern Territory was separated from South Australia in 1911 so the box has to date after that time, though that is also quite obvious from the style itself which appears to be either Art Deco or Art Modern. From the 1920s finely figured North Queensland timbers were used as veneers and to form plywoods. Those processes continued until the significant depletion of the North Queensland rainforests by the 1960s made the processes uneconomic. (DB)
Timbers. DB wrote: Top: Timbers and front, excluding banding: Predominantly Queensland timbers so maybe a product of the sunny state. Timbers on the top include Queensland Maple and Queensland Walnut, probably also Maple Silkwood. The chevron decoration to the front looks like Queensland Walnut.
Maker – judging from the banding two possible makers were mentioned by DB and SG.
SG wrote: Notice that, in a promotional leaflet, Nielsen described his timbers as being from North Queensland and imported, by which he may mean, either that they came from distant parts of the globe, or were brought in from other parts of Australia. The latter seems more likely. The leaflet also noted that H. A. Nielsen provided a mail order service.
Heinrich August Freisleben NIELSEN (1858 - 1946) was born in Odense, Denmark and into a dynasty of cabinet makers. By 1888 he is listed in Cooktown as a cabinet maker and from then on as a Builder and Contractor. He appears to have moved from Cooktown to Port Douglas in 1909 when he was contracted to repair the Port Douglas Postal and Customs Buildings following a cyclone and, in 1914, he won the contract to build a new church, St Mary’s. At the time it was described as ‘a handsome structure and a stable one.’
Judging from a comment in his 1946 obituary claiming that Nielsen was the first to make the inlaid ‘secret’ jewel boxes there seems to have been competition between Nielsen and Griffiths?
I suspect that all the stringing (which is not typical of Griffiths’ work) was imported - it was available (and probably still is) ready-made and probably came from some German source.
DB wrote: “The line of complex banding reminds me of Thomas Griffiths’ work.” Then, on the subject of whether the bandings are locally made or imported “I certainly have no basis for believing that Griffiths made the bandings and would not be surprised if he imported them, though have always presumed otherwise. They are very precisely made, and are very similar to the purfling and [ready-made] bandings available today. The fact that they used dyed timbers and such small components that the timbers are not easily identifiable complicates the matter. [DB] (DB also showed an example of Griffiths’ work replete with similar bandings).
SW “I do agree with Sarah's comments that the banding on your box may have been imported. I am aware that specialist craftsmen sold this type of edging or banding - I consider this a sort of Tunbridge ware style.” [SW]
Interior lining: I agree ... that the box may have been re-lined; from your photo, the quality of the work on the interior is not equal to best UK/European finishing. [SW]
Hinges and screws: JG wrote: You are quite right with your observations on the screws, they have been put in and taken out at least once, so we cannot be certain that they were the original screws (but they probably are, I guess as they all seem to match). The slightly rounded heads
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(as opposed to the more normal dome headed screw) have been filed down because they didn’t allow the lid to close properly (as you noted). This I suppose might be characteristic of the shed enthusiast woodworker, who comes up with slightly agricultural solutions to problems.
I’ll will consult with my wood screw history of manufacture text to see if there was a time when they became readily available. In my mind’s eye I associate that type of screw with zinc plating which became less fashionable after the explosion of chrome in manufacturing of the early 1930s(?) I assume this tallies with everyone’s rough estimate judging by the subject matter, pre-made stringing, etc etc.[JG]
Results
A summary of the results from all correspondents provided the best technical description for the work box and that the ready-made, most likely imported stringing was used by two makers though it is believed that the most likely maker was HA Nielsen. The cooperative and collaborative approach achieved a much more complete assessment of the box than would otherwise have been likely.
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