Lot 53

A BOX

This box in the shape of a stylized four-leaf clover, apparently designed by Rudolf Stockar for Artěl, has a hinged lid set with four green stones on top and a mirror inside. It is made of a material popular at the time, paktong (a type of alpacca), also known as German silver, which is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel. It is favored for its white color, with good resistance to corrosion and malleability. The early work of Czech architect and designer Rudolf Stockar follows the geometric forms of the Viennese Secession; in the late Teens and early Twenties he was influenced by Cubism, Czech Rondocubism and Art Deco.