May

The Wallace Collection and Long & Ryle, the return of Battersea Spring Fair and Glyndebourne, an art and design sale at Cheffins, plus bonbonniéres

THE ANTIQUE

Enamel Bonbonniéres

People have always loved novelty, and enamel bonbonniéres are no exception. These small boxes were designed to hold sweetmeats or candies to sweeten the breath, and were often presented as little gifts. Made of copper and beautifully hand-decorated with enamel paints, they came in forms inspired by domestic life, including apples, lemons, gherkins, birds and dogs (spaniels and pugs, especially). A cottage industry grew up around their production in the Midlands – particularly Birmingham, Bilston and south Staffordshire, where a skilled workforce of local craftsmen and Huguenot metal workers thrived. The golden era for hand-painted enamel bonbonniéres was between 1750 and 1830, after which they petered out