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ExceptionalAntique Early American Hanging Wall Box with Drawer and Star-DesignCutout Scroll-Work Panel, Probably Eastern PA, Circa 1830-1850\'s.
Thisearly, handmade hanging wall box has a design related to EarlyAmerican pipe boxes from the Northeastern US, made about 1780-1840. This example is constructed in eastern white pine, black walnut, and white maple. The drawer is beautifully dovetailed with a walnutdrawer front and has white pine secondary wood, including thechamfered drawer bottom. The main box has a white pine back, sides,and a dovetailed pine base. The back of the main box, as well as thedrawer bottom, are secured with forged square nails. The hand-sawedcutout and carved scroll-work panel above the drawer has an intricatedesign with a large prominent star at the center surrounded by denseflowing scrolls and fleur-de-lis suggesting foliage. The cutout nameacross the lower part of the panel is probably the owner\'s. Thename, MRS. M. LAREN, may actually have been MacLaren, in one of itsmany spelling variations. The MacLaren family had a strong presence inEastern Pennsylvania starting in the late 1700\'s.
Themaker of this wall box was a consummate craftsman and was verypossibly of Pennsylvania-German origin judging from the style of thedesign of the prominent star which is reminiscent of a hex sign. This piece has had its original finish, likely a tinted varnish,removed at some point. In this period, woods such as pine and whitemaple were normally painted or varnished to obscure the mixture of \"common woods.\" Only the drawer front would have beendisplayed because walnut was considered to be a fine wood. There areno traces of paint colors on the back or drawer sides. The unusualremovable insert that backs the cutout scroll-work panel was probablyoriginally covered with a red wool trade cloth.
Thisrare and unusual piece would enhance both a collection ofPennsylvania country furniture, as well as a collection of moreformal furnishings from the Philadelphia region.
Condition: Very good. No breaks, structural damage, missing parts, or repairs. Original finish is absent (see above description), and there are fewminor cracks to the scroll-work panel. Overall, there is minor wearcommensurate with age and use. Old paper applied to the inset backing ofthe scroll-work panel, probably areplacement of an original red fabric, is damaged (see photos).
Dimensions: 16-1/2\" tall x 10\" wide x 3-3/8\" depth. The walnutdrawer front: 9-3/8\" wide x 2\" tall. The maple cutoutscroll-work panel: 10\" wide x 7\" tall
