Soap Container

Brass, cast and pierced, with traces of silvering
England, about 1750
Gurney bequest

Soap containers sat on aristocratic dressing tables as part of toilet sets. Perforations in the box allowed the soap to dry. Companion pieces with solid tops kept sponges damp.

This container has traces of silvering. As silver tarnishes on exposure to air, it requires frequent polishing to retain its lustre. Progressive polishing has worn away all but a few specks. Brass coated in silver was a relatively common silver substitute until the Sheffield plate industry was established in the mid-1740s.