Exceptional and large oval whalebone ditty box, American, mid-19th Century. The basket has small metal fasteners attaching the bone to the top and bottom of the box. The top and base of the basket fit flush one over the other rather than the top sliding over the base which is more typical for this type of box. The box’s sides are joined at the center of one side by three rows of nails from top to bottom of the joint. The interior of the box and the top are lines with old red velvet-like cloth. The bottom base of the basket is lined with an old paisley pattered material. The bottom cloth has a small hole exposing a small section of the natural wood base. The top has a very elaborate marquetry design made of hundreds of diamond shaped pieces of wood of various sizes and species of wood types. Additionally, several pieces of the wood inlay are shaped like parallelograms of various colors. (SC1285)
Condition: The ditty box is in excellent condition. There are only a few shallow age cracks along the bone surface that has a mellow age patina. All the inlay is intact and there are no replacement or missing pieces.
Dimensions: Height 4 ¼; Width 12 ¼; Depth 9 3/8 inches.
Reference: "Ingenious Contrivances. Curiously Carved, Scrimshaw In The New Bedford Whaling Museum", by Dr. Stuart Frank, Published by David R. Godine, 2014, Page 221. The basket on the bottom of the page to the left is a fine example of a elaborate marquetry inlaid ditty box top.
