Lots of very tender very old things today--just the sorts of things that make me happiest! This charmer of a box dates to 1830 or so--there are a couple of very close examples on the website of quilt historian Barbara Brackman relating to the presidential contest between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson (1824 or 28). I've had a few stencil/theorem painted velvet topped boxes, but this I believe the earliest and my favorite--for the "forget me not" and the blue and white twisted string border, and most especially for the electric color scheme inside, framing what feels almost like a fragment mirror. I am always amazed things like this little box have endured--just about 200 years; forget me not, indeed!
4 1/4" x 2 7/8" x 1 1/2" t. General wear as documented--mostly bumping to the corners and wear along the edges of the cardboard. Only very minor loss to the yellow and embossed gold paper. Sound and not fragile, lid fits atop the box just as it should and lies flush.
You might also like
