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    The box is a great temptation. "Open me," it says. The human cannot resist it; its charm is overwhelming. Boxes have followed man through history as a useful, beautiful, fascinating companion.

   During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the movement of trade brought awareness of diverse foreign cultures to a small European elite. As the eighteenth progressed, the idea of unified design, which had been pioneered during the seventeenth century by Inigo Jones, began to take root. The momentum of knowledge had accumulated enough force to shape the aesthetic consciousness of a slow-changing and complacent clientele. At this time of increased appreciation of the potential expansiveness of design, widespread wealth made it possible to commission more pieces thus driving forward such eclectic crafts as the making of boxes.

    England was at the forefront of this movement, partly because of its aggressive trading practices and partly because of its progress into industrialization. After the loss of America, there was a concerted effort to increase development and wealth in new directions. Engineering progress made travel possible for more people and sailing on the high seas easier for merchants. Travel increased awareness, need, and demand.