Mahogany, maple whale ivory and mother of pearl scrimshaw knife box American circa 1860. All four sides of the box are canted in an outward position. All four sides and the center section have curved tops. The front of the box has an inlaid pot at the lower center of the box with long fine branches curving out across the box in both directions. The branches have several light wood or maple inlaid leaves. The ends of the top branches have inlaid mother of pearl bud shaped ends. The branches on the bottom section end with inlaid mother of pearl flowers. There is a full-length drawer that runs across the length of the box. Typically, the drawer if there is one runs the narrow way of the box. The box has a whale ivory pull at the center of the pot and a inlaid mother of pearl base under the pot. All eight corners have curved mahogany cured inlaid sections. The other three sides of the box have similar inlay patterns to the front with fine branches stretching out the width of the sides with bud like mother of pearl bud shaped endings. The same type of inlays run around the top perimeter of the box. The box has a center divider with a curved top and at the center it rises to accommodate a cut for a hand grip. Along the top border of the divider are attractive string inlay curved designs. (SC1268)
Condition: The box is in excellent condition but shows some staining from use inside on the bottom of the box.
Reference: INGENIOUS Contrivances, Curiously Carved: Scrimshaw in the New Bedford Whaling Museum by Stuart Frank. Published by David Godine 2012. Page253. Avery similar knife box by the same hand is illustrated with the ID # Fig. 1172.
Dimensions: Length 15, Width 8 ½, Height 6 ½, Inches
