Toleware Box 1935 - 1942

John H. Tercuzzi made this toleware box, which measures about 13 by 16 inches overall. Toleware refers to the practice of decorating tin-plated iron, and it was especially popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. This box's dark base suggests that it would have started as an industrial product. Then, it has been transformed through the application of hand-painted decoration – bright orange flowers and leafy details, all applied with verve. The handle looks like brass. The overall effect is cheerful, almost folksy. We see the intersection of industrial production and individual artistry. Toleware often represents an interesting collision of mass manufacturing and craft. The labor is divided: one person shapes the box, another adorns its surface. Appreciating this box requires us to consider both processes and how they combine to give the object its unique character.