Spotlight On: Bilston (Battersea?) Box
A colourful piece and a statement on mortality, this enamelled box doesn’t have the fine quality of the mourning piece, but it quite unique in its symbolism and representation.
The two figures rowing across the river show the journey of life crossing over, from the home to unknown, or the garden, which represents the hereafter.
The floral border is also a colourful touch, as it the yellow base and this would lean towards being constructed by a family in Bilston of the time. Purchased as a trinket, the sentimentality of this piece could have been delivered as a memorial item or given as a sentimental one, but evaluating the mentality of the purchaser is conjecture.