Fancy boxes of this class are frequently used at parties in the same way as at wedding receptions, the guests being presented with the boxes which are filled with candies, nuts, or cake.
At many of the special banquets given by clubs, business organizations and fraternal societies, ice cream and other desserts are served in fancy boxes, thus adding an unusual touch to the last course of the dinner. These “banquet” or dessert boxes are made in various odd shapes, and are also made square, oblong, round or oval, and as a general rule, there are no lids for the boxes which are covered with colored, gold, silver, white or embossed paper. The inside of a box, used for this purpose, should be lined with plain white book paper, rather than with colored paper, so that the coloring matter in the paper would not transfer to the dessert. Two fine paper laces add an artistic finish to a square, or oblong, box of this variety. The square and oblong dessert boxes are made in the same manner as plain set-up boxes, cut out of a single piece of boxboard, the corners stayed and the sides covered with colored or white glazed paper.
JEWELRY BOXES.
Some concerns are making a specialty of jewelry boxes and the field for this product is very extensive. Many jewelers pack watches, rings, tie pins, dress pins, clasp pins, lockets, belt buckles, cigarette cases, match boxes, vanity cases, mesh bags, rosaries, fans, fountain pens, etc., in pretty paper boxes of the proper shapes, and not a few of these boxes are works of art. The writer recently saw a small paper box for a diamond ring, which cost the jeweler one dollar apiece, the party who bought the ring paying for the box, of course. The box in question was beautifully covered with thin, dark green leather, and four edges of the box were hand-tooled, the borders being finished in goldleaf. The interior of the box was lined with white satin, with billows and a rest for the ring formed of the same material. The box also contained a shoulder and the lid was hinged.
Some jewelry boxes are made in the regular set-up style, others are made with shoulders. Round and oval boxes are often used for watches, rings, lockets, necklaces, etc., while long, oblong boxes are used for tie pins, fountain pens, chains, gold pencils, envelope openers, pen knives, dress pins, hair pins, etc. Square boxes are adapted to silver and gold belt buckles, ladies’ shoe buckles, match boxes, cigarette cases, mesh bags, etc. The progressive jeweler carries a wide assortment of fine paper boxes, of many different shapes and sizes, so that he may have a box suitable for any piece of jewelry, or novelty, sold. He will even have sets of larger size boxes for holding silverware, toilet articles, fans, cut glass, picture frames, clocks, and so forth.
COVERED AND LINED.
These details will convey to the reader an idea of the great variety of paper boxes required by the average jeweler. Many of the smaller boxes are covered with white or colored glazed paper, and are lined and padded with silk, satin, plush or velvet, of a tint or color that will harmonize with the color or tint of the box covering. One of the most beautiful paper boxes ever seen by the writer was one of oval shape, used for holding a costly pearl necklace. This box contained a shoulder with the edges of the shoulder covered with white glazed paper. The outside of the box and lid was covered with golden-brown paper in imitation leather. The interior of the box and lid was lined with pale buff velvet, padded in the bottom of the box in such a way as to form a resting place for the string of pearls. Note the beauty of this color scheme.
One prominent jeweler has a complete assortment of paper boxes, all covered with light blue embossed paper, and all lined with white satin paper, those for rings, pins, etc., having padded rests formed of white satin. The name-card of the jeweler is die stamped in bronze blue ink on the lids, or wrappers for the lids. The color effect is very pleasing. The wrappers for lids of jewelry boxes are die stamped or printed with the card of the jeweler before being pasted to the lids.
Jewelry boxes seldom have extension edges. These with shoulders, or necks, are made in about the same way as the druggists’ pill and powder boxes, a description of the construction work having been given in another chapter of this series of articles. The set-up box is made from a single piece of boxboard, lined with white glazed paper, cornered, stayed and covered with colored, glazed, white, watered or embossed paper.