A fine mid-17th century embroidered needlework double casket, worked with multi-coloured silks, silver braid, metal thread, chenille, seed pearls and with various techniques and stitches including: petit point, couched work, French knots, split and tent stitches and with stump / raised decoration and padded work, the top of the casket of sarcophagus shape, with a hinged lid decorated with a gentleman and a lady flanking a Queen like figure under a canopy, revealing a silk lined interior with a lift-out printed and mirrored proscenium arch, lined with marbled paper, the sloping sides decorated with country scenes of figures, parrots, a lion, a deer, greyhounds and flowers, a further hinged section to reveal a lift-out mirror, a stationery tray with divisions and lidded compartments and secret drawers, with two pounce pots with emery bases, above an adapted hinged fall decorated with possibly the Queen of Sheba playing a lyre before Solomon, revealing a panel with a shepherd and shepherdess above three drawers, a secret drawer and a long drawer, with tortoiseshell edging, the left side with a family, possibly the original owners, the central lady's skirt lifts up to reveal under garments and a chatelaine, the right side with a biblical scene of Daniel in the lion's den, the back with a probably replaced panel of figures, a stag, lion, a castle and birds and flowers, on turned marine ivory feet, with brass side carrying handles, in unrestored condition, 38cm high, 29cm wide, 20.7cm deep. Provenance: By repute a branch of the Pitt-Rivers Family Dorset. Caskets and boxes such as this were made and used by young girls from affluent families between the ages of eight and fourteen. The techniques were learnt at a young age by completing samplers and these skills were then developed over time on more elaborate pieces. They would decorate small panels with embroidery featuring biblical and mythological scenes that were popular at the time and then they would be sent to a cabinet-maker to be made into a casket. They were used for storing small personal possessions and trinkets. For similar examples see the Victoria & Albert museum number: T.223 to B-1968, which has a very similar fitted arch, also 745:1 to 8-1891 and for silkwork versions a casket in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow and Christie's, The John Parry Collection, 25th March 2010, lot 100. click here to view the page turning catalogue