Beschreibung:

SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616)] -- A George III, mulberry wood writing-box, inscription carved on the base in block capitals: 'George Cooper/ Stratford upon Avon Maker/ 1759,’ the hinged rectangular top carved with mulberries around Shakespeare's arms on a punched ground, the divided interior lined with green baize and containing two glass wells with stoppers (stoppers defective), the reverse of lid with quotation adapted from All’s Well that ends Well (I.i.14-15) on applied paper: “He is gone! And our idolatrous fancy/Must sanctify his relics.” The sides with a stylised pattern of flower-heads within roundels, converging upon a finial head of Shakespeare below metal catch to the lid, the base resting on squat feet. Provenance : initials “G.W.” crudely cut in base.
SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616)] -- A George III, mulberry wood writing-box, inscription carved on the base in block capitals: 'George Cooper/ Stratford upon Avon Maker/ 1759,’ the hinged rectangular top carved with mulberries around Shakespeare's arms on a punched ground, the divided interior lined with green baize and containing two glass wells with stoppers (stoppers defective), the reverse of lid with quotation adapted from All’s Well that ends Well (I.i.14-15) on applied paper: “He is gone! And our idolatrous fancy/Must sanctify his relics.” The sides with a stylised pattern of flower-heads within roundels, converging upon a finial head of Shakespeare below metal catch to the lid, the base resting on squat feet. Provenance : initials “G.W.” crudely cut in base. A WRITING-BOX REPUTEDLY CARVED FROM THE MULBERRY TREE WHICH GREW IN SHAKESPEARE'S GARDEN . New Place in Stratford-on-Avon was built in the late 15th century by Sir Hugh Clopton, erstwhile Lord Mayor of London, and was the second largest building in Stratford when Shakespeare bought it on 4 May 1597. Ownership eventually returned to the Clopton family when it was given to a later Sir Hugh Clopton as a wedding gift. Although the original house was demolished in 1702, the gardens remained, containing the mulberry tree that the younger Sir Hugh always maintained had been planted by Shakespeare in 1609. Following Sir Hugh Clopton's death in 1751, the rebuilt house was sold to the Rev. Francis Gastrell in 1753. Gastrell demolished it in 1759, having first cut down the mulberry tree and sold the logs. At this period of 'bardolatry' drinking vessels, tea caddies, small boxes or caskets, and similar objects carved from the wood were highly prized. Following Garrick's Shakespeare Jubilee of 1769, the actor received the freedom of the town in just such a box; the writer George Keate (who made the presentation) was in turn given an inkstand made from the mulberry tree. The main source of production was undoubtedly George Cooper of Stratford.