Art Nouveau

Back in October last year I ran a competition the prize being another of my 40yrs old silks(the winner to make her choice from the 4 left) to be made up into an embroidered box. Well Sherry was the outright winer and chose this aquamarine and navy blue silk. She commented that it looked very 'Art Nouveau' so what else could I do but make an art nouveau box.
Out came all my really old books and I finally found a black and white photo of a box originally made in gold work on red leather by Audrey Chorley which I thought fitted in exactly.
Trouble was I had no pattern and no instructions on how to do it but was that going to stop me? Hell no! (In for a penny in for a pound as the saying goes.)
It took me a week to construct the design 3 dimensional from the photo and get the right proportions. Did I mention that the box was made up of five different sections?
An overlapping lid box, 2 side drawers, a hinged lid box and a drop in lid box. Simples!



This is the drop in lid box. Lined in navy felt.
Picture below shows the hinged lid being constructed.


Now we have two sections completed.
The hinged lid and drop in box lid boxes joined together.
Can anybody guess what it is yet?


Below shows the overlapping lided box which is oval in shape.



Lastly the side drawers which were the hardest part to make.
If in doubt resort to corrugated cardboard and a couple of plastic bottle tops. (Yep I really do keep every thing).


And one set of drawers later.


Put it all together and 5 weeks later and what have you got.


An 'Art Nouveau' Fish complete with fins that's what.


Sherry received her box back at the beginning of December (so no butterfly) but due to Christmas and Nasty flu have only just gotten around to sorting out the pictures for it.