c1860s Rare Marquetry Inlay Sailor\'s Box Ditty Box Sewing Box w Interior Tray for Sale

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c1860s Rare Marquetry Inlay Sailor\'s Box Ditty Box Sewing Box w Interior Tray For Sale

$c1860s Rare Marquetry Inlay Sailor\'s Box Ditty Box Sewing Box w Interior Tray$
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c1860s Rare Marquetry Inlay Sailor\'s Box Ditty Box Sewing Box w Interior Tray:
$600.00

Presented is a fantastic quality marquetry inlay sailor\'s box or ditty box, dating to the around the 1850s-1870s. This box would have been hand made by a sailor on board a ship, for holding daily essentials like shaving tools, sewing/mending supplies, or tobacco, though with this quality and intricacy of decoration the box may have been intended as a gift, crafted over a long voyage for a loved one back home. The box\'s exterior features beautiful, skillfully done inlay in various shades of wood including stark black teak, allowing for very attractive contrast in the designs, which include diamond patterning around the edges and a stripe design around the lid and at the corners. The interior of the box has a removable compartmented tray, and is lined with dark green velvet for the main compartment, the tray, and the lid. The lid has a mirror in the center, surrounded by fancy ribbon and braided cord decoration. The lid has a dark green grosgrain ribbon attached to the sides, so the lid does not over extend when opened. There is a lock at the front of the box, but we do not have a key.

This box is in great overall condition, particularly for the age and material. The line visible in the wood of the underside is not a split, it seems to be original to the construction. The underside could easily be covered with felt or paper (and the box likely originally had paper or felt on the underside anyway). There is a chip to one of the ebony insets on the side of the lid, but it does not go all the way to the wood color beneath, the inset is still black but just shallower at one end. There is a chip to the inlay at the lefthand side vertical corner of the back. There is a little bit of separation in two opposing corners of the lid nearest the higher portion in the center, but these are quite small and hard to notice. Some minor surface wear here and there, but no missing inlay or glaring damages. The mirror is a little foggy here and there, and is likely a replacement. The velvet of the removable tray and interior have possibly been re-done at some point in the past. Please view all photos carefully, as they are part of the description.

The box measures about 12 1/2 x 9 1/4 x 6 1/8 inches, LxWxH.

-jmStart: $500
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