Container

powder container Container for loose powder from the museum collection, of crystal glass and silver, partly gilded, made in Vienna between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. The container is a cylindrical can with walls of thick dark glass, with a silver profiled cover. The wall glass is decorated with vertical ground ribs, and at the top – with a triple band of ground ribs, additionally decorated with four crosses spaced equally apart. The container cover is decorated at its edge with a pearl ornament band, inside galvanically gilded. On the cover there are gilder’s marks, at the bottom of the container – a polished pointed star. Galvanic silver or gold plating entails placing the metal (most commonly copper, later nickel) object in a container with a silver or gold solution, and separation of pure silver or gold by the flow of electric current, so that a thin layer of this metal would be deposited on the object. Such accessories, like powder containers, flasks for perfume and grooming waters, cream boxes, nail files, scissors, brushes, constituted the necessary equipment of the dressing table of the lady of the house. They were frequently made of crystal glass, silver and gilded silver, as well as richly decorated; they were frequently manufactured by famous gilders and appreciated artists. Possession of these indicated the status of the lady of the house.