This maple and walnut box is a handcrafted reproduction piece, made by myself in Toronto using traditional Shaker methods. The penetrating hardwax oil finish brings out the character and beauty of the figured walnut lid, and the maple sides add a striking contrast. This box is also an extra-tall version of the traditional size #3 box, at 7.5" long, 5" wide, and 3.75" tall (inside dimensions 7" by 4.5" by 3.25"), which means it has more room for storing accessories, crafts, toiletries, and keepsakes.
My environmental values:
I make all of my Shaker boxes 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.
