Antique Swedish Bentwood Tina w/ Painted Kurbits Decoration

Antiques : Folk Art : Kurbits Painted Tina

 

Sweetpea Cottage is offering a wonderful piece of early Swedish folk art. Dating from the mid-to-late 19th century, this is a large handmade tina, or svepask. It is round and measures about 12 ½ inches in diameter and 10 1/4 inches tall. The sides are bent around and held in place with the original pieces of birch root lacing. The lid fits well and the construction is still tight. There are four metal bands at the base that are used to stabilize the bottom and keep it in place. They appear to also be original to the piece since each of the bands penetrates the side of the piece and is crimped over to firmly anchor it on the inside. The vertical stile at the one end pivots serving as a locking mechanism that helps to hold the lid in place. The stile at the other end is stationary. The pivoting stile is attached with heavy metal bands, possibly old nails, that also have penetrated the side of the box and are crimped on the inside. The paint is all original and done in the style of kurbits, a flowing flowery type of painting that is Sweden’s answer to Norwegian rosemaling. Although the paint has darkened over the years, it is still highly visible, in good condition, and a fine example of this classic style of folk art. The underside of the lid has a brace dovetailed into the single plank lid. This has helped to keep the lid flat over the years, avoiding the problem of warping that is so common with wide pieces of older wood. The handle is a branch that had been bent and mortised into the lid. Pegs are then used to hold the handle in place.

Looking at the construction and decoration on this beautiful box, it was made by a true craftsman who intended for it to last a long time. Indeed it has survived, and in a remarkable state of preservation! It is the perfect decorative piece for a country style home or for anybody who appreciates a fine piece of folk art.

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 item is $15.00 which includes insurance for the full price of the piece.

Keywords: Sweden, Norway, Scandinavian, tine, svepasker

Item ID: AntTB-177