Uniquely Carved
“Wine Themed”
Inn or Tavern Box  

New England, signed W*G and dated 1808.

An extraordinary carved wooden box, boldly signed "W*G" and dated 1808. Hollowed/hewn from a solid of yellow birch, the front and lid are grandly ornamented with deeply carved pinwheels, a prominent heart, and chip carved edges. Most noteworthy are the carved representations of a wine decanter, wine glass, and beaker or tumble, a “wine” theme I have never encountered on an early American box and strongly suggestive of use in a tavern or inn. Perhaps intended for the storage or protection of bottles or spirits, the box possesses an unmistakable presence and individuality.

In a high-degree of originality, including its surface and iron hinges. The domed lid doesn’t rest fully flush at the opening; an ancient crack on one end. Remnants of an early newspaper lining.

Few surviving examples of early American woodenware display such ambitious carved decoration, and fewer still incorporate imagery directly associated with the serving of wine or spirits. In decades of handling American antiques and folk art, I have never encountered a piece remotely comparable.

This remarkable box would be equally at home in the finest collection of New England woodenware or in a distinctive period interior.

24 inches long x 8 inches high x 8¾ inches deep.

Provenance includes: Elliot and Grace Snyder; Don Olson, fine private Midwest collection.