19th Century Turkish Bath House Copper Kildan Soap Box

View Similar Items

19th Century Dog House Cigar Box or Humidor

Late 19th Century Oak-Copper French Cigar Box

19th Century Arts & Crafts Movement Copper Table Chest Box

19th Century Trinity House Inlaid Rosewood Sewing Box, circa 1870

Jewellery Box, 19th Century

19th Century Painters Box

19th Century Hat Box

19th Century Tole Box

19th Century Chinoiserie Boxes

19th Century Basket Box

Game Box, 19th Century

19th Century Oak Box

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 11

19th Century Turkish Bath House Copper Kildan Soap Box

About the Item

An exceptional Ottoman Empire (Turkey) hand-made soap box bathhouse hammam container, used to transport ancient Kildan clay soap and washcloth when taking a communal Turkish bath. Born in the first half of the 19th century, oversized, oval shaped brass handled, footed and hinged lid container, decorated in ornate embossed, hammered, and tooled whimsical floral foliate relief ornamentation, rising on pegged solid brass feet, surmounted by rotating sculpted solid brass carry handle, the front adorned with ornately chiseled gilt bronze ormolu mounted latch, the top opening to reveal pierced openwork bottom, designed for use in the bath and possesses four feet raising its perforated bottom above its possibly damp resting spot and to allow the flow of air for drying. Rich, warm, beautifully aged, the interior bottom featuring visually striking verdigris patina! Dimensions: 9” W x 7” H x 5 1/2” D Originally designed to travel along with you to carry soap and more when enjoying a Middle Eastern bathhouse. Similarly styled pierced containers have been used throughout Asia as a cricket cage - fighting box for almost 2000 years, as keeping crickets as pets emerged in China in early antiquity. Initially, crickets were kept to enjoy their "songs" (stridulation), and to have good luck all year long, but in the early 12th century the Chinese people began holding cricket fights. The Imperial patronage promoted the art of making elaborate cricket containers and individual cricket homes, the containers acting as the unique folk art form associated with the ancient Chinese sport of crickets. Well, okay, so maybe you don't really want to replace your gym bag dopp kit or keep a cricket or other live insect pet - but the highly decorative, fine quality box is useful for a variety of other things, too! Use this brilliant copperware lidded chest on your guest bathroom vanity tp keep a stash of toiletries available. Place atop a console, table or chest of drawers to store your small but most important treasures, trinkets, watches, pieces of jewelry, and diminutive collectibles. Adding incense or candles would make a charming addition while adding a sophisticated aroma to the ambiance. Use the container in your home, shop, or studio for small supply storage, as a tea caddy, or placed on your office desk to organize your work station and keep pens, and stamps near by. Place the Turkish box in your bathroom to hold cotton balls, accessories and small cosmetic items; or if you like to entertain, open the lid, then place several rolled hand towels sticking out and in easy reach; Set in the kitchen as a luxurious spice rack stash; Get creative with it functioning as a cachepot jardiniere when you insert your favorite potted plant; Or place small shot-glasses into the box, fill the glasses with water and your favorite fresh cut flowers, creating a impressively unique vase, perfect for a windowsill. So many clever uses!

Dimensions:
Height: 7 in (17.78 cm)Width: 9 in (22.86 cm)Depth: 5.5 in (13.97 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Copper,Embossed,Hammered
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
19th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Forney, TX
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5977227249972