Floral Carved French / German Dresser Box w/Lock & Key, 1880-1900's

Antiques : Boxes : French/German Carved

 

Sweetpea Cottage is offering you the opportunity to own a finely crafted, hand carved document box with a working lock and key. Dating from the last quarter of the 19th century, this box is both unusual and beautifully executed. It comes from the Alsace region of France and reflects both French and German workmanship and design. The box measures 10 ½ inches long, 6 ½ inches wide, and about 4 inches tall. The beautifully done carved floral design on the lid is made from a single board that was carved down to reveal the design. The carved design is not a separate piece that was attached to the lid. The floral carvings extend around the front and sides. The back is a carved rippled pattern that relieves the starkness of a bare board. The lock works and the key is present. The keyhole is covered with an escutcheon that looks to be original. There are worm holes primarily on the bottom, but with a few on the sides and top. There is a small 2 inch split in the bottom and a 1 inch split in the corner where some warping has caused the separation. The box was made using keyed joints that have remained sound over the years. The inside in unfinished, generally quite clean, and in good condition. It could be used as it is, or would be terrific to be lined as a very unusual jewelry box. This piece has all of the pedigree of fine handcrafted workmanship, with the signs of hand planing still visible underneath and the chisel cuts still clearly visible. The wood has a rich glowing patina and looks to have been treated with shellac at one time.

You can buy with confidence from Sweetpea Cottage. We stand behind everything that we sell. If you wish to return your purchase for any reason, simply notify us by email of your intentions within 3 days of receiving the item. We then ask that you return it to us in its original condition in a timely fashion. At that time we will refund the full purchase price minus any shipping charges. Shipping for this box is $12.00 which includes insurance for the full value of the item.

Item ID: AntFDB-261