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''Elixirs of Life'' Collage Box Art by Major Benton

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:250.00 USD Estimated At:750.00 - 1,000.00 USD
''Elixirs of Life'' Collage Box Art by Major Benton
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''Elixirs of Life'' Shadowbox by Major Benton. This is quite a busy piece, on the very top sits a fellow with a beverage in his easy chair, on the one side is written on paper the interpretations of the items on each shelf inside the wooden case (medications, alcohol, narcotics, dice, dominoes, marbles, and bars), on the other side written on paper is a spiel on the various meanings of Elixir, on the back of the cabinet is a very sophisticated pill box (morn, noon, bed, eve, filled with candy coated licorice), an empty miniature bottle of E & J Brandy and an empty bottle of Evan Williams Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, and also an empty box of Newport Cigarettes, Major Benton's initials ''MB'' are also on the lower right corner of the back of the cabinet, Shelf 1: dice, marbles, dominoes, wine glass, various bottles Shelf 2: wine bottle miniatures, dominoes, jars, medicine droppers in bottles, wine glasses with red balls inside, 2 ends of mechanical pencils Shelf 3: empty syringe, dominoes, champagne miniatures, medicine droppers inside bottles, various miniature jars and bottles Shelf 4: empty syringes, miniatures bottles and jars, dominoes, the door of the cabinet has bars and also an old bent silver spoon between the bars, written on the door reads: ''Elixirs of Life'', Here was a panacea for all Human Woes, Here was the secret of Happiness, Dequincey (Delinquency?) door has round metal knob. Box art measures approx. 14.75''L x 26.75''H x 4.75''W.
Major Benson admired Joseph Cornell's art work "Secrets in Boxes". Joseph Cornell was a famous artist but he hardly ever painted a picture. He was known for his Collage Boxes of materials that are ordinarily discarded by most people. He rarely threw anything away.