Accession number
PML 88485
Published
[England] : [publisher not identified] ; [approximately 1845]
Credit line
Purchased on the Elisabeth Ball Fund, 2013.
Notes
Title from label on lid.
A total of 85 wooden pieces: 8 red pie shaped wooden pieces for the base; 72 pie shaped paper-covered wooden pieces with black lithographed ornamentation, most of them numbered from 1 to 72, to aid in assembling the body of the tower; 5 turned wood pieces for the top of the pagoda; and 3 circular cardboard roofs covered with glazed hand-painted paper.
See instructions on the assembly which are kept in the departmental files.
"Directions. Place the Red Pieces to form a Circle. Put the piece marked No. 1 on it with No. 2, 3 etc next to it until No. 8. Place No. 9 half way over that and No. 1 and so on to No. 16. Place No. 17 half way over that and No. 9. Proceed the same way to 24 over which Place one of the Painted Roofs. Take No. 25 and Place directly over the doorway with 26 next to it. Follow the numbers as they run onto 48. Place another Painted roof on. Put 49 directly over the over the doorway and proceed unto 72 in the same manner. Put the Other roof on with the 4 pieces belonging to it on top of which place the pinnacle"--pasted on inside lid.
The forced opening up of China after the First Opium War brought Chinese taste once again before European eyes. The toy may also be linked to the Chinese Collection Exhibition of 1844 and the Chinese junk that was brought to the Thames in 1848. (Dealer's description)
A total of 85 wooden pieces: 8 red pie shaped wooden pieces for the base; 72 pie shaped paper-covered wooden pieces with black lithographed ornamentation, most of them numbered from 1 to 72, to aid in assembling the body of the tower; 5 turned wood pieces for the top of the pagoda; and 3 circular cardboard roofs covered with glazed hand-painted paper.
See instructions on the assembly which are kept in the departmental files.
"Directions. Place the Red Pieces to form a Circle. Put the piece marked No. 1 on it with No. 2, 3 etc next to it until No. 8. Place No. 9 half way over that and No. 1 and so on to No. 16. Place No. 17 half way over that and No. 9. Proceed the same way to 24 over which Place one of the Painted Roofs. Take No. 25 and Place directly over the doorway with 26 next to it. Follow the numbers as they run onto 48. Place another Painted roof on. Put 49 directly over the over the doorway and proceed unto 72 in the same manner. Put the Other roof on with the 4 pieces belonging to it on top of which place the pinnacle"--pasted on inside lid.
The forced opening up of China after the First Opium War brought Chinese taste once again before European eyes. The toy may also be linked to the Chinese Collection Exhibition of 1844 and the Chinese junk that was brought to the Thames in 1848. (Dealer's description)
Description
1 set of building blocks (88 pieces) : wood and paper, col. ; various sizes in cylindrical box 9 x 10.8 cm (diameter)
Binding
In publisher's cylindrical green and gilt glazed paper container decorated with a chinoiserie design; with hand-colored lithographed label on lid. Paper label with printed directions for assembly inside lid.
Classification
Catalog link
Department