Rolled Paper Work - Filigree Work

Throughout the 18th century, past-times such as embroidery and needlework were popular among society ladies. Women could fill their spare time in the relative warmth of a salon and talk together whilst working on embroidery patterns or needlework scenes for their own amusement.

A less well known decorative phenomenon was rolled paper work or filigree paper work which flourished in popularity towards the end of the 18th century. Numerous kits were developed by enterprising firms for ladies to decorate tea caddies, boxes or pictures.

In 1791, a royal tradesman, Charles Elliott, supplied Princess Elizabeth, with "15 ounces of different filigree paper, one ounce of gold paper, and a box made for filigree work with ebony moldings, lock and key, lined inside and outside and also a tea cadde to correspond with box".

The art of rolled paper filigree work was indeed a hard and demanding one to master. It was considered so important for a lady to learn that it was actually taught at school, and is recorded in period literature such as Jane Austin’s' Sense and Sensibility. Lucy Steel is noted rolling papers for a decorative basket that she was working on.

Due to its obvious fragile nature filigree work is increasingly rare, and thus valuable. Condition, quality, colouring, scale and of course provenance all determine the value of the object. I am looking for an exceptional rolled paper tea caddy, possibly with its original mahogany and glass cover. If you know of one, I would love to see it.