This elegant jewellery box is a handcrafted reproduction piece, just the right size to hold a small collection of earrings, necklaces, and other accessories. I made it according to classic Shaker methods, using domestic maple wood for the sides and cherry hardwood for the top and bottom, for a contrasting effect. I finished it in a hardwax oil buffed to a low sheen, to bring out the wood's natural lustre.
The overall box size is 5" long, 3" wide, and 1.75" tall, and the inside dimensions are 4.5" x 2.75" x 1.25". The oval shape, gothic swallowtail fingers, and hand-oiled finish of this traditional Shaker box make it a beautiful and unique way to store or display small keepsakes.
My environmental values:
All of my Shaker boxes are made from responsibly-sourced wood given a second life—I buy short boards of North American maple, walnut, and cherry from other wood studios that aren't able to use such small pieces. By the magic that is water, heat, and traditional woodbending, these are turned into reproduction Shaker boxes.
Process:
After milling and preparing the material, which is sourced responsibly from high-quality wood from local studios, I cut each swallowtail finger with a knife. The sides of the box and lid are soaked and bent around a form, following the Shakers' traditional methods, and the fingers tacked in place with fine copper nails. After a 24-hour drying period, the top and bottom are fitted and glued in place, with the support of tiny wooden pegs.
Please note that because of the way the lids are formed, the outsides of each box/lid can vary up to 1/4" in length, and up to 1/8" in width. The inside dimensions of each box are consistent at the size given above.
