Sugar Box, John Coney, Silver, about 1680 - 85
ABOUT THE OBJECT: In the late seventeenth century silver and sugar were costly commodities. The first cost was inhuman, stemming from the unjust slave labor that was used to extract the silver. The second cost was monetary. Sugar was a costly item, and households paid the price to have it imported. But this was all for the sake of having a beautifully sculpted sugar box (And in my own opinion, one only from John Coney.). While the cost of this item showed your wealth to all your houseguest and important members of society, the sugar box carried a peculiar connotation. Sugar was thought to have mystic properties. ingesting sugar on a daily basis was thought to nourish the body, strengthen the blood, cherish the spirit, and strengthen the womb. Yes, sugar was thought to be a magical fertility goddess thus making sugar boxes a popular wedding gift. This particular box made by John Coney (Makers mark “IC”) is a the masterpiece of all sugar boxes. Located at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, this sugar box exemplifies wealth and high craftsmanship. There are four elaborately scrolled feet that are echoed in the knotted serpent handle. Its top is delicately adorned with wreaths and acanthus giving this sugar box a elegant and splendent beauty.
