No one knows what inspired the idea for the first jewelry box, or even when the first box designed specifically to hold jewelry was made. The origins of this handy type of storage contain seems to have been lost somewhere in history. What we do know about the history of jewelry boxes is that the first jewelry boxes that are known were designed and made by expert and highly skilled crafts men and the first boxes were in and of themselves completely beautiful works of art, often more expensive than the jewelry they held.
Some of the earliest jewelry boxes were made of lead and then lined inside and out with either silver or gold and sometimes even rare jewels. These boxes were designed only for the wealthy and powerful and far to expensive for the average man or woman. Later jewelry boxes were made from carved ivory and later enameled covered boxes were found to be more durable than gold or silver.
It wasn’t until the industrial revolution that mass-produced jewelry boxes became affordable to the majority of people. These boxes were often made of cheap metals, wood, and ceramic or even porcelain depending on the factory and the designers of jewelry boxes.
Today, jewelry boxes come in a variety of different sizes, styles, and materials. Some are little more than a basic box with dividers while other are large ornate pieces that are truly beautiful in their own right. Some of the cheaper jewelry boxes produced today are little more than thick cardboard with lined with flocked paper and are, at best, made as temporary places to store a few items. Others are designed to last a lifetime.
When Buying A Jewelry Box
Before purchasing a jewelry box you need to carefully consider your entire jewelry collection and decide exactly what type of jewelry you need to organize and store. If you collection consists mostly of rings and post earrings than jewelry box you will choose will be quite different than the one you would choose should you have a large array of necklaces or chains or even bangle bracelets.
Of course you are going to want a jewelry box that is durable enough to last at least a few years and one that is largest enough to accommodate new additions to your jewelry collection.
If you have a lot of heirloom jewelry or precious jewels, you may want to consider a jewelry safe that is impossible to carry away and has a sturdy lock to keep your more expensive pieces safely out of the hands of others. On the other hand if most of the jewelry you wear are inexpensive costume or fashion jewelry you are going to want to keep this type of jewelry in a jewelry box where it is easily available for you wear any time you choose.
How ornate and expensive your jewelry box is will depending solely on your own personal taste as well as your needs. Some women prefer a simple jewelry box while others enjoy boxes that are truly works of art on their own or at least a decorative enough piece that lend a bit of ambiance to the rooms décor.
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