Child-shaped box

A small container made of overglaze painted porcelain and set in gilded silver was once used for keeping needles or other small handiwork accessories. The container with a slender narrow structure was given the shape of an infant wrapped in diapers – formerly a common manner of dressing and – at the same time – restraining infants in the first months of their life. The porcelain box has an opening mechanism on the level of the child’s torso; hinges are placed on the back, and the entire circumference at the top and bottom is provided with a metal (silver) cover. Diapers are decorated with overglaze painted flowers and a chequered ribbon with gilded edges. Similar containers, made also of ivory, silver or glass, were popular items between the mid-18th century and late 19th century. They served as a graceful and elaborate trinket in women’s household equipment and were often granted to mothers of infants (M. Zając, Box in the shape of a child in diapers, in: The Wilanów collection. Continuation, 1993–2011, Warszawa 2012).

An overview of the websites of auction houses shows that this type of object is not rare, and the preserved examples are diversified with regard to the manner of presentation and decoration and the location of the opening mechanism. Similar objects were made in German, Austrian, Danish, Italian and Russian porcelain manufactures. However, the Wilanów piece is probably a work of French craftsmen.