I was commissioned to make this box as a retirement gift. Inspired by a ca. 1710 box from Hatfield or Deerfield, Massachusetts, as a basis for the proportions and styling details. The box is constructed from quartersawn red oak and pine with rabbet joints. Forged nails were used to join the boards at each corner, to attach the bottom to the box, and to attach the battens to the underside of the box lid (the batten nails are clinched). I made the snipe hinges that hold the lid to the box. The box has a till compartment with a flip up lid that is profiled with a scratch stock. I designed and hand carved the imagery to harken the tulip-and-leaf motif with a stippled background, associated with Hadley-type boxes and chests of the Hadley-Hatfield-Deerfield area. The box is finished with a stain and dye blend that I developed to match historic examples and sealed with shellac.

For their 10th anniversary, a woman commissioned me to make this box for her beloved husband. I was inspired to inlay the inside of the lid with the recipient’s initials, using a typeface that complements the Hebrew on the outside lid. On the front of the box, I carved their initials and wedding date.