IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 167389 accession number: MAR.M.? & A-1912 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Tuesday 11 August 2015 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: Boiled and stamped leather (cuir bouilli) case, with four internal compartments, for holding a knife, folding spoon and two narrow implements. The domed pull-off lid and tapering body have two suspension loops on each side, through which a cord would have been threaded. The case is decorated with borders of leaves, trefoils and flowers. object type: boiled leather case for holding cutlery; decorated with stamped borders of leaves and flowers title: cutlery case NOTES ----- type: history note value: not known before testator LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Applied Arts collection: C. B. Marlay creditline: C.B. Marlay Bequest STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/167389 SUBJECTS ------------------- flower leaf (plant material) flower leaf (plant material) TECHNIQUES ---------- There is much conjecture on how 'boiled leather' or 'cuir bouilli' was made and whether the leather was boiled in water. The most popular theory is the one suggested in 'La Grande Encyclopedie (Paris 1887-1905) in which: 'pieces of leather must be boiled in wax mixed with resin and glue. Once boiled in this manner, the leather preserves, whilst it is moist, sufficient pliability to enable it to be moulded, and when it is dry it possess a hardness and rigidity nearly equal to that of wood to which it is preferable by reason of its lightness.' The stamped and engraved decoration would have been added before the leather was dried. cuir bouilli CATEGORIES ------ category: boxes DATING ------ creation date: 1550 - 1650 creation date earliest: 1550 creation date latest: 1650 culture: 16th Century, Mid-17th Century# CREATORS -------- maker: Unknown DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Height units: cm value: 14.1 dimension: Width units: cm value: 5.5