Bidspirit auction | Silk Box for Carved Jade

Silk Box for Carved Jade Collection - Silk box with a russet orange silk interior designed to hold 22 carved jades and one citrine piece. The items in this box are offered in this sale and are noted as once belonging to this box and collection. Provenance: Collection of Jerry O'Brien, Wichita, Kansas; thence by descent. Jerry O'Brien (February 6, 1902-June 2, 1951) was a business mogul and public figure in Wichita, Kansas throughout the first half of the 20th century. He began working at Wilcoxon-Searcy before founding his own joint venture, the Roberts-O'Brien Company, in 1930 at the age of 28. During World War II he manufactured airplane parts and, by 1941, had opened up a company in his own name, the Jerry O'Brien Company. Throughout the 1940s he manufactured car awnings under the name Weather Master Car Awning Company. During this time he also served on numerous public and private committees. He died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 49 on June 2, 1951. During his life he collected these excellent jades and assembled them in the silk box offered in this sale. Reference: The Wichita Eagle: December 7, 1930, page 8; June 15, 1941, page 12; June 4, 1951, page 10; June 9, 1951, page 9. The Wichita Beacon: September 24, 1931, page 8; June 19, 1941, page 18; January 3, 1946, page 1; April 18, 1946, page 20; June 5, 1951, page 6. *Newspaper clippings not included with this lot* Height: 2 1/4 in x width: 11 in x depth: 12 in. Condition: There is heavy wear to the box. The lid is deatched. Shattering to the silk. Soiling throughout. Old tape repairs. The sides are somewhat loose with one detached completely along the short edges. Photographed carved jades and citrine not included with this lot and offered separately in this sale.