Personal Objects
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Lion Bandbox and Rose Bandbox
Artist/Creator: unknown
Holding Institution: Merchants House Museum, New York
In the 17th century, bandboxes were containers for men’s neckbands, a use that also gave them their name. By the 19th century, they were adapted by women for travel or storage use for personal items such as hats and accessories. They reached the height of popularity in the US between 1820 and 1845. Construction was simple. Pasteboard was molded into the shape, the parts were stitched together and then it was covered with wallpaper. Images ranged from historical scenes to flowers. The Lion Bandbox is decorated with wallpaper illustrating a neo-classical style building and grounds on the sides and striding lion on the lid and the Rose Bandbox is decorated with wallpaper illustrating large roses and leaves on the sides with a different paper with repeating smaller floral pattern on the lid.
Bandbox making was a cottage industry in New York. Its importance in the State’s history is that it attracted female entrepreneurs, who were responsible for most bandbox production. The New York City business directory lists no fewer than four bandbox paper manufacturers, all women. These carryalls were therefore an economic engine that allowed women to be financially independent, making part of the larger story of women’s rights in the period.
Merchant’s House was home to a wealthy merchant class family, the Tredwells, and their Irish servants for almost 100 years. These bandboxes belonged to the Tredwell family and exhibit extensive repairs, demonstrating they were items of value and worth preserving. The family’s Irish servants were responsible for the repairs; as such, they further the story of the work deemed acceptable for women at the time.
The Museum’s mission is to educate the public about the domestic life of a wealthy merchant family and their Irish servants in mid-19th century NYC, and does so by giving house tour visitors the opportunity to see furnishings and decorative arts in their original setting. Because the original contents are displayed, the atmosphere of the Tredwell home offers a reality that is unparalleled, presenting an authentic experience much as the family knew it. As a result, the collection is a catalyst that increases and deepens visitors’ understanding of our historic and material past. Many visit to experience such authenticity. We strive to create “a-ha” moments for our visitors, and the collections provide that spark.
The collection and the house’s intact interiors inspire an examination of material culture and provide direct pathways to learning about larger social issues. Both the dress collection and its related accessories, including the bandboxes, are displayed to invite reflection on women’s highly constricted lives, confined to domesticity, yet experiencing the fight for women’s rights firsthand. The prejudices experienced by the Irish servants correspond directly to the treatment of all immigrant communities.