Monticello Architectural Jewellery Box

Over the last 25 years, LINLEY has developed an area of expertise in creating architectural boxes which interpret, in miniature form, buildings of historical significance, or of personal importance to a client. These have ranged in size, shape and form and have included buildings such as the Royal Albert Hall, Castle Howard, Chiswick House, Elton John's own home in Berkshire and many more. In 2005 LINLEY chose to make a miniature jewellery box of one of the United State's most significant buildings - Monticello - the former home of the 3^rd US President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826).

Jefferson described Monticello as his 'little mountain' as it became a symbol of his personal achievement. The construction and design grew to be his life long passion and the building now stands as a lasting testament to the man who drafted the Declaration of Independence (1776). Jefferson was much inspired by the work of Italian architect, Andrea Palladio (1508 - 1580), in particular Palladio's Villa Cornaro. Monticello is the only house in the United States which is listed on the World Heritage Site and it is from Monticello that the 'Federal' style of architecture developed in the United States.

The LINLEY Jewellery Box of Monticello has been designed and constructed using sycamore as the main solid, light grey stained sycamore for the roof, fiddle back douka on the walls and black stained sycamore for the windows. The projecting loggia is a typical Palladian feature, as are the ocular windows and Tuscan columns. The box is compartmentalized and lined to store jewellery.