Lot 121: Rare Small Oval Box

SOLD: $14,000 (without buyer’s premium)
Estimate: $4,000 – $7,000

Maple and pine, original chrome yellow painted finish, three fingers, signed in pencil under lid in script “Flora Newton, Age 13 April …”, found with eight small spools inside, possibly Enfield, NH, c. 1830-1840, 1 3/16″ h, 3 3/16″ l, 2″ d.

Note: This is the second smallest box in chrome yellow that we have ever sold. The first was 2 7/8″ long and sold as Lot 239 in 1983. It eventually was part of the Esmerian Collection shown at the American Folk Art Museum and sold at Sotheby’s as Lot 703, January 25, 2014. This box (possibly made by the same maker as the one we sold in 1983) is a rare gem of Shaker craftsmanship.