Superb Paint-Decorated and Carved Fraternal Keepsake Box
Measuring 19.5 x 11.5 x 7.5 inches, this remarkable 19th-century box is a tour-de-force of early American decorative arts. The surface features bold faux-grained paint decoration, with tiger-stripe graining on the base and sides. The lid is framed with deeply carved foliate molding incorporating alternating leaf and shield motifs, lending a strong neoclassical and architectural presence.
Each end is mounted with carved hands holding bouquets of flowers — a powerful symbolic reference often associated with friendship, remembrance, and fidelity. This motif is frequently found in fraternal and lodge-related material, suggesting the box may have served a ceremonial or commemorative function for an organization such as the Odd Fellows, Masonic order, or another 19th-century fraternal society.
The front is further embellished with two large painted roundels flanking a central applied escutcheon, completing its striking presentation. Its bold paint surface, symbolic carvings, and substantial form make this an exceptional and rare survivor with both folk-art appeal and historical significance.
Some chipping to applied molding. Provenance: from a New York collection.