Faberge Style Trinket Boxes

History of Trinket Boxes

Russian Faberge style trinket boxes are an amazing gift both to give and to receive. But first let’s discover the history of trinket boxes.

It's hard to say when people first began creating jewelry boxes, but they have been considered an important part of life for many centuries. Jewelry boxes were originally known as "jewel caskets." They were in use as early as 5000 BC in ancient Egypt where jewelry was worn both by men and women. They were normally made of gold and encrusted with precious gems, thus being masterpieces in themselves.

In ancient Rome, jewelry was a sign of high status. Only people of certain ranks could wear rings, and items of clothing were secured with beautiful brooches. So jewelry boxes were widely used by members of nobility. However, until the Victorian age, owning jewelry was rather a privilege. Only royalty and members of high society could wear it.

The situation changed after the Industrial Revolution which initiated mass production of goods. Machine cutting of stones and metal was made possible, plus items could now be manufactured in bulk, so the cost of jewelry and jewelry boxes became much more affordable and thus desirable for the growing middle class. Since middle class people still couldn't own much jewelry, the jewel caskets became smaller, too. Some boxes were so small that they could only hold one ring or a pair of earrings. The years 1904-1918 saw an overwhelming mass production of jewelry boxes. At that time, gold and silver (or silver plated) boxes were especially popular.

Trinket boxes were carefully decorated by artists. Their ornate styles were supposed to indicate the value of the items they held. They were of different sizes and shapes, but one of the most famous of them is undoubtedly that of an egg. Those unique trinket boxes were first designed by Carl Faberge who made them for the Russian royal family in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They were of extremely high artistic value created with precious metals and gemstones. Carl Faberge and his craftsmen were granted complete freedom to choose the theme, the design, and a unique surprise inside of the egg-shaped jewelry boxes. Those eggs were worth thousands of dollars due to their highly skilled and decorative nature.

The tradition was kept by Russian royalty till 1917 when communists came to reign, nationalized and eventually closed the Faberge company. In 1918, the Emperor Romanov's family was executed. The Faberge family had to flee the country to settle down in Switzerland. In the 1920s the Faberge firm seized its existence with the death of Carl Faberge. It relaunched again only in 2009 directed by two Carl's granddaughters, Sarah and Tatiana.

Hard to find a gift box?

Our Faberge style trinket or keepsake boxes are really a treasure to behold. They are created in the same style as the famous works of Carl Faberge. You can use these little masterpieces to store small items, or just for decoration. Our trinket boxes are pewter molded, hand enameled, and are embedded with sparkling Austrian crystals. These bejeweled trinket boxes come in a vast variety of shapes and colors. With a selection like this, you're sure to get a perfect gift for that hard to shop for person!

Hard to decide which trinket box to choose? Check out our our blog with ideas of trinket boxes for various occasions. As for our Faberge style items, they are perfect gifts for Easter. Besides being beautiful and full of charm, the egg-shaped ones are also a well-known Christian symbol of new life and hope. And if you want to make a real Russian-style gift, don't forget to put something special inside. In Russia, people don't give empty boxes as a gift. Whether it's a small piece of jewelry or a little note inside one of our fabulous trinket boxes, your loved ones will never forget your special gift.