Paint Decoration

Antique Early 19th Century Paint Decorated Open Octagonal Box
  • This wonderful open topped octagonal box (or wood bowl if you prefer that word) has been in my collection for a number of years.  I have loved filling it with pomegranates, apples, colorful sewing items, whatever I wanted to draw attention to.  Now, I offer it for your enjoyment.  The eight-sided box is paint decorated with ochre over mustard and a simple comb design.  The bottom is also paint decorated, which makes it a great platform if you need to set something a little higher than the cupboard shelf.  The inside is painted an ivory color, which has darkened to greenish-eggshell.  It has butt construction but since it the wood was covered with gesso I can only find one nail or peg.  I think it is a wood peg, but the paint and tiny size makes it difficult to tell.  The box shows good, honest wear to the paint and to the wood along the inside edges where it has been handled over the generations.  As you can see in the photos, there is a bit of moisture staining along parts of the bottom edges.  It measures 8 7/8" from corner to corner, 8 1/8" from flat side to flat side, and 4 7/8" tall.  It has a nice dry original finish.  Circa first half 19th century. 

    (#779)     $975