Before there was the jewelry box, there were the gems and trinkets to place into them. Some reports support the fact that people began wearing jewelry approximately 75,000 years ago. In Africa, perforated snail shells created beads that were undoubtedly worn as an adornment. Perforated ostrich egg shells have also been found in this country, although they appear to only date back about 40,000 years.

For centuries, cultures have used jewelry to symbolize wealth, power and beauty. Today, people still enjoy collecting and wearing, but now, they have equally beautiful jewelry boxes to store their precious items.

The First Jewelry Box

No archeologist definitively knows when the first jewelry box was created. In fact, early jewelry storage may not have been a box at all; instead, it might have been a jar that was commonly used in ancient times to store spices and a host of other goods. These jars were typically constructed of ceramic and used to transport items, as well as keep them safe and sound at home. However, when commerce began to boom, the construction of the jewelry box might have started then.

In the Middle East, the commerce boom commenced approximately 7,000 years ago, as people began to see the value in using rivers to transport goods. At this time, boxes were created to store and ship merchandise to buyers. During this era, boxes might have been constructed to house precious gemstones and jewelry as well.

The Egyptians in particular were known for their love of jewelry and other adornments, and they may have been some of the first to construct jewelry boxes to hold their collections.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution paved the way for mass production of many different items, making goods like jewelry boxes much more available and affordable. While jewelry boxes of this time sacrificed the handcrafted beauty of previous jewelry boxes, the convenience of walking into a store and purchasing a jewelry box made these storage units more common throughout the world.

The first jewelry boxes of the Industrial Revolution were primarily crafted of antimonial lead as their base metal, which could provide a durable, safe shelter for precious items. The boxes were then electroplated with copper and sported a gold or silver finish. The finishes themselves became quite ornate, and included French Bronze, Parisian Silver or Roman Gold. These lovely boxes are considered antique jewelry boxes today, and because copper-plated jewelry boxes are now relatively rare, they are a hot commodity for collectors.

These metal materials eventually gave way to ceramic because ceramic jewelry boxes were stronger than previous materials used. When Art Nouveau became the rage in the early 1900s, the style trickled down to jewelry boxes as well. People could now find jewelry boxes sporting motifs from nature, such as roses that symbolized love and four-leaf clovers for good luck. The designs were lovely with flowing lines and asymmetrical designs, making the jewelry boxes as beautiful and precious as the jewels hidden away inside.

Easy Shopping

When mail-order catalogues like Sears and Marshall Fields were introduced at this same time, people could now order jewelry boxes and have them sent directly to their homes. Like online shopping of today, the catalogues opened up a whole new venue for individuals to shop from the comfort of home and enjoy a much broader selection of merchandise than ever before.

During this era, stores also began displaying some of their jewelry boxes for sale, and the boxes themselves began to follow many of the trends of the time. People were looking for much more than a mere storage unit for their collections; they wanted jewelry boxes they could proudly display on their dressers for the world to see. Jewelry boxes offered a great deal of variety at this time, including the size of the boxes that ranged from tiny trinket boxes to hold rings to much larger boxes capable of holding an entire jewelry collection.

Manufacturers

As jewelry boxes became more popular with the American public, more manufacturers came onto the scene to craft boxes people would like. Some of the most common manufacturers included:

• Benedict

• NB Rogers

• Jennings Brothers

• Kronheimer and Oldebusch

• Brainard and Wilson

• The Art Metal Works

Of course, today's jewelry boxes may be crafted from a wide range of artisans, and many popular companies offer their own brands of these boxes as well. Jewelry boxes can be purchased at department stores, through individual artisans or online. Individuals can select boxes based on their functionality, style or beauty.

Jewelry boxes have enjoyed a long and colorful history, and today you can find these lovely boxes in a wide range of styles and designs. If you are looking for a trendy way to safely store your precious items at home or while traveling, you are sure to find a jewelry box that meets your specific needs and personal fashion flair.