[Tidbits] Box

Box

So many meanings for so little a word. There are the old slang
versions of the pugilistic sense: Fighter. Bearcat. Slug. K.O.
Fisticuff. Leather-poison. Bombardier. Hammer. Haymaker. Bash. Bust.
Maul. Biff. Pug. Kiss-canvas. Smack. Soak. Sock. And on and on. But
this is not the one we want.

Then there are the Special Meanings: You corner someone … you
have him Boxed in. A Radio … in olden days was called an Agony
Box. A still camera … for those of you who remember … was called
a Box Camera. Then there’s the place in which you store your food
… an Ice Box. Again in days of old … when you were buried …
you were put in a Box. When you lived in a house … you lived in a
box. There are street people who still live that way. When you were
arrested … a jail was called a Box. For you jewelry folks … a
safe was called a Box. You go to the theater … it’s the Box office
you first visit … in order to buy Box seats. An on an on it goes
… and where it ends nobody knows.

I have an old book first copyrighted in 1942 entitled: The American
Thesaurus of Slang. It’s a wondrous tomb and I have yet to find
something equal to it. In any case … I tell you this because it
contributes a wealth of to another meaning of the word
Box … a meaning which delicacy prohibits my putting forth on these
pristine pages. So let me say this about that before going on to the
next paragraph. There are words out there that herald back to olden
times that are far richer than anything we have today. That said …
let us proceed. Box: A container. A crate. A basket. A chest. A
case. A receptacle. A holder. A coffin. So many different shades
and meanings. I have pages upon pages of them. I have chapters and
verse. I even have a graphic. Of course … the Jewelry Box.

Ahh … but this is no ordinary graphic. And it is no ordinary box.
It is a rare gold and enamel box created by one Carlo Giuliano
somewhere around the 1880’s. It is 2.8 centimeters high with a
detachable cover … sides brightly enameled with a millefiori
pattern in red green and blue. Its maker’s stamp is CG. Its worth is
around $7900. Such value for an item so little. But it wouldn’t be
the first time.Would it?

For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits…may I
direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will
scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says
Tidbits Graphics … and then click on the link that says: Box …
where you will see a graphic of a pretty little thing too small to
hold anything except perhaps a fingernail … and yet quite
attractive and admirable in its workmanship.

And there ya have it. That’s it for this week folks. Catch you all
next week. Benjamin Mark

TYLER-ADAM CORP.–Jewelry Manufacturers
Tel – 1-800-20-TYLER
E-Mail: webmaster@tyler-adam.com