Description
Antique ca 1895 CF Monroe Wavecrest Footed and Banded Handkerchief Box Metal Bottom Helmschied swirl, measuring 8”W 6.5”H. Giant Mt. Washington swirl relief Opal Glass blank, lovingly finished in the Wave Crest hand painted line, by the renowned C.F. Monroe. This Wave Crest Helmschmied Swirl heirloom Ormolu footed & banded handkerchief box is finished in a hand painted, deep rich blue floral design, that Wilfred Cohen has termed as the Limoges pattern (see Cohen P. #86). This incredible handkerchief box features exceptional depth of enamels & colors, and contains a brassed bottom, which is consistent with the fashionable lady Hanky boxes of the day. THIS IDENTICAL BOX CAN BE SEEN IN THE 1895-1896 C.F MONROE CATALOG PAGE #12 (in Cohen P. # 185). This opposing swirl Wave Crest jewel is in wonderful condition, weighing 3 pounds and measuring 8 inches wide x 6.5 inches tall. In 1877, Charles Fabyan Monroe was hired as a decorator by the Meriden Flint Glass Co. He showed such promise and imagination, that he was frequently sent abroad to study new designs and techniques of European glass manufacturers.Having developed an exceptional sense of style, C.F. Monroe opened his first shop in Meriden, CT. in 1880, located at 36 West Main Street, operating initially in the format of a European glass importer. Shortly thereafter in 1882, he began his decorating studio, and by 1885 had opened an art academy also in Meriden, that became the C.F. Monroe opal glass decorating works in 1886. The C.F. Monroe Co. was formally incorporated in 1892, and introduced the Wave Crest line that was patented on Oct. 4, of that same year. Using primarily the highly stylized original glass forms from Mt. Washington / Pairpoint Glass, the Monroe decorations became some of the most beloved creations of the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras. When the 1890’s arrived and the demand for finely decorated glass was its height, the Monroe company was located in several large buildings on the corner of West Main Street and Capitol Avenue, and employed such fine artists as Carl V. Helmschmied (the Helmschmied swirl pattern was designed and patented by C.F. Monroe Co. during Carl’s employ), Walter Nilson, J.J. Knoblauch, Joseph Hickish, Carl Puffee, Flora Fiest, Gustave Reinman, Florence Knoblauch, Emil Melchior, and Alma Wenk, Blanche Duval, Gussie Stremlan, Elizabeth Zeibart, and Elizabeth Casey. The financial details are not entirely clear, however, by the start of WW I, external pressures were taking a major toll on C.F. Monroe. Consequently, the glass decorating works only survived until 1916, when inexplicably, Monroe took a lesser position as the glass foreman for Edward Miller & Co. Glass Works of Meriden. Stranger yet, C.F. Monroe soon relinquished the position at E. Miller & Co., subsequently moving to New Hampshire in 1919, C.F. Monroe passed away quietly on Nov. 19, 1919 at his home in Meriden, and was buried in the Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, R.I. This Is A Very Beautiful, substantial piece that I purchased from an estate sale auction. The lining is damaged and there is wear/oxidation to the banding/clasp and feet. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail Or FedEx Ground.
