Goo,
Rich made a superb recreation of the GF Fainot patch-box in Patrick's book; this example exemplifies breaking any preconceived notions of a "school"! There are links to those postings on this blog. Mike's advice is spot on as well, there are significant changes throughout the evolutionary development of the patch-box. By focusing in on a time period while doing your research you'll begin to see developmental patterns and should then be able to select one that suites your aesthetic.
Bruce