Two different end designs from
bentwood boxes.
These are not my
designs.
bentwood boxes.
These are not my
designs.
While studying some old boxes and chests I was struck, yet again, by the beauty and singularity of the end designs. Those formline “sketches” or “doodles” that all seem to be unique to the piece they’re on have always piqued my curiosity and I am in love with their simple elegance.
Today it’s difficult to categorically state that a design had a specific purpose, but we can take educated stabs at it. For instance, no one knows why the red corner cooking boxes have geometrics on the lids, nor does anyone know why the sides/ends of bentwood chests and boxes have beautiful ideographic designs.
One day while looking at the designs on the ends of chests I was suddenly struck with the memory of my old Aunties and Grandmothers gathered around a feast table searching out their Tupperware and other containers on which each had written their names (back in those days Tupperware was worshipped!). It occurred to me that these end and lid designs may represent the old version of writing our names on our containers. When a family went to a feast many of their household articles would go along; one had to take whatever would be necessary for an a stay of indeterminate length so one needed plenty of containers to haul and store all these goods in - baskets, cooking boxes, storage boxes.... It could be difficult when it came time to go home for each woman to determine which boxes and chests were hers since many bore very similar designs on the front and back, and since the red corner boxes only bore the red painted corners. A distinctive geometric on the lid or formline “sketch” on the sides of a box or chest would immediately distinguish which container belonged to whom. Packing would have been much simpler if your luggage easily identifiable. I just had an image of beautiful chests, baskets and boxes slowly carouselling in a stunning parade at the baggage claim at SeaTac!
It’s just a theory. A practical thing that came to mind suddenly one day. There’s no one today who can state whether my idea is true or not. But, it seems like a logical theory and I’m going to hang onto it till someone of great knowledge and experience disabuses me of it.
Today it’s difficult to categorically state that a design had a specific purpose, but we can take educated stabs at it. For instance, no one knows why the red corner cooking boxes have geometrics on the lids, nor does anyone know why the sides/ends of bentwood chests and boxes have beautiful ideographic designs.
One day while looking at the designs on the ends of chests I was suddenly struck with the memory of my old Aunties and Grandmothers gathered around a feast table searching out their Tupperware and other containers on which each had written their names (back in those days Tupperware was worshipped!). It occurred to me that these end and lid designs may represent the old version of writing our names on our containers. When a family went to a feast many of their household articles would go along; one had to take whatever would be necessary for an a stay of indeterminate length so one needed plenty of containers to haul and store all these goods in - baskets, cooking boxes, storage boxes.... It could be difficult when it came time to go home for each woman to determine which boxes and chests were hers since many bore very similar designs on the front and back, and since the red corner boxes only bore the red painted corners. A distinctive geometric on the lid or formline “sketch” on the sides of a box or chest would immediately distinguish which container belonged to whom. Packing would have been much simpler if your luggage easily identifiable. I just had an image of beautiful chests, baskets and boxes slowly carouselling in a stunning parade at the baggage claim at SeaTac!
It’s just a theory. A practical thing that came to mind suddenly one day. There’s no one today who can state whether my idea is true or not. But, it seems like a logical theory and I’m going to hang onto it till someone of great knowledge and experience disabuses me of it.
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