Trunk
Classification:
Date:
1840-1850
Medium:
Wood, metal
Dimensions:
Overall: 12 5/8 x 16 x 12 7/8 in. ( 32.1 x 40.6 x 32.7 cm )
Description:
Rectangular trunk with flat, hinged lid, iron latch and escutcheon, metal strips nailed along edges of trunk, and rounded mounts nailed to corners of lid; trunk covered in black canvas, worn in spots; inside covered in yellow paper, with blue paper folded at bottom; tray with frame covered in yellow paper, bottom formed by criss-crossing strips of blue and white striped fabric; trunk held open by blue and white striped fabric hinge; four pieces of varnished wood, with tongue and groove joinery, also in trunk.
Object Number:
INV.950ab
Marks:
written: on paper label in pencil (in file?): "1. Trunk containing momentoes of Katherine Rebecca (Jewett) Francis"
printed: on paper label inside lid: "[image of jockey on horse]/JOHN H. MACDONALD,/SADDLE,/HARNESS & TRUNK/MAKER,/603 BROADWAY,/(NEAR HOUS
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1850
eMuseum Object ID:
28101
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Chest with drawers
Collections:
Classification:
Date:
1800-1850
Medium:
Wood (probably oak), paint
Dimensions:
Overall: 6 x 7 3/4 x 6 in. ( 15.2 x 19.7 x 15.2 cm )
Description:
Oak chest painted with red and white flowers on yellow ground; floral decoration framed with white, red, and black bands on each side; solid blue back; four bun feet; upper interior cavity painted white and red; front doors swing open revealing five polychromed drawers with turned handles.
Credit Line:
Purchased from Elie Nadelman, 1937
Object Number:
INV.8524
Gallery Label:
This object was once part of the folk art collection of Elie Nadelman (1882-1946), the avant-garde sculptor. From 1924 to 1934, Nadelman's collection was displayed in his Museum of Folk Arts, located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. The Historical Society purchased Nadelman's entire collection in 1937.
Provenance:
The Folk Art Collection of Elie Nadelman
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1850
eMuseum Object ID:
28100
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Box
Classification:
Date:
ca. 1850
Medium:
Wood, metal, leather, paper
Dimensions:
Overall: 5 x 12 x 6 3/4 in. ( 12.7 x 30.5 x 17.1 cm )
Description:
Rectangular wood box with domed lid covered with brown leather and scalloped leather trim attached to box with decorative nails, metal handle on lid, and metal lock and closure, interior lined with marble paper.
Credit Line:
Gift of Reverend J. Chase Willet
Object Number:
1976.18
Gallery Label:
According to attached note, this box was made by Charles S. Willet (1810-1888), who was born in New York City, and trained in harness making and saddlery when young, and who was the great-grandfather of the donor.
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1850
eMuseum Object ID:
28090
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Box
Classification:
Date:
1840-1860
Medium:
Wood, leather, brass, metal, textile, paper
Dimensions:
Overall: 6 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 7 in. ( 16.5 x 31.8 x 17.8 cm )
Description:
Rectangular wooden box with flat, hinged lid; box and lid covered in leather, overlapping at corners and fastened to box with row of tacks; lid covered in red leather, with brown velvet stretched over padding and attached to center of lid, with brass ring attached to leather circle pasted to velvet; box covered in tan leather, with foliate motifs cut out and replaced with green and red leather, with tiny wooden carvings such as pineapples or bird with wings spread painted blue and attached to sides of box; strips of green and red leather with acanthus leaf border tacked on to edge of lid; inside covered with paper printed with vertical rows of flowers alternating with repeating image of woman (Jenny Lind), in blue and white; box balanced on stubby ball feet.
Credit Line:
Gift of Leonidas Westervelt
Object Number:
1945.253
Marks:
engraved: on front plaque: "S L H"
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1860
eMuseum Object ID:
28067
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Box
Classification:
Date:
1780-1830
Medium:
Wood, leather, brass, iron, hair, pearl
Dimensions:
Overall: 6 x 13 x 8 1/2 in. ( 15.2 x 33 x 21.6 cm )
Description:
Rectangular wooden box with flat, hinged lid, painted latch and escutcheon, and oval mount with bail handle on top of box; box covered with reddish-brown leather and ornamented with brass tacks or studs; tacks around edges of lid and box, forming arcs around corners, latch, and oval around handle on top, forming boundaries for areas covered in black leather; leather fringe following from lid, with pinked edges; inside covered with yellow satin with printed floral pattern in gray and white, lid held open with two fabric hinges; also contains key, lock of brown hair, and two pearls.
Credit Line:
Gift of Miss Lena Cadwalader Evans
Object Number:
1936.791
Gallery Label:
According to accession records, this box belonged to Israel Corse's family.
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1830
eMuseum Object ID:
28063
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Box
Classification:
Date:
1814-1820
Medium:
Wood, leather, metal, brass, paper
Dimensions:
Overall: 7 x 13 1/4 x 7 1/2 in. ( 17.8 x 33.7 x 19 cm )
Description:
Rectangular wooden box with slightly domed, hinged lid, covered in brown leather and ornamented with patterns formed by metal tacks or studs; tacks around edges of lid and box, with arc around latch and forming chamfered space around handle; brass rosette mounts with bail handle on top and iron latch and escutcheon; inside covered in newspaper, the "Winchester Gazette."
Credit Line:
Gift of Dr. Jane Carey
Object Number:
1976.27
Marks:
printed: on newspaper lining inside: several pages of text headed with "Winchester Gazette./No. 382 SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1814. VOL. 6."
Gallery Label:
This box was owned by Martha J. Burr (also cited asMaria (Perry) Burr and Mrs. Charles Cooley Burr). She lived in Washington, D.C., moved to New York c. 1900-1908, and died in 1909.
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1820
eMuseum Object ID:
28060
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Box
Classification:
Date:
1840-1850
Medium:
Wood, metal, paper, paint
Dimensions:
Overall: 4 5/8 x 9 1/8 x 6 1/2 in. ( 11.7 x 23.2 x 16.5 cm )
Description:
Rectangular wooden trinket box with hinged lid, with the word "LOVE" on top, lock, and inlaid with diaper-patterned bands; interior covered with pale green paper and fitted on right with removable divided shelf; alternate lock and seahorse housed within, as well as three business cards with notes.
Credit Line:
Gift of Mr. Charles Lennox Wright II
Object Number:
1953.133
Marks:
written: in script in ink on base: "Made with a pocket knife by/my grandfather/Charles Washington Wright and presented to my grandmother/Louise Lennox Whitney/to keep in."
painted: in black ink near base: "483"
Gallery Label:
According to accession records, this box was made by the donor's grandfather for his future wife, Louise Lennox Whitney, of Poughkeepsie, to keep his love letters.
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1850
eMuseum Object ID:
28055
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Marriage box (coffret de mariage)
Collections:
Classification:
Date:
ca. 1800-1850
Medium:
Wood, iron, paint
Dimensions:
Overall: 6 x 8 x 4 1/2 in. ( 15.2 x 20.3 x 11.4 cm )
Description:
Rectangular wooden box or chest with domed, hinged lid, iron latch and escutcheon, wire handle and carved slot on top; painted decoration consisting of birds flanking handle on top, with wreath of roses in middle, in red, blue,and white with some green leaves; front painted with swags of fabric pinned at intervals, in red, white, and blue, above roses and leaves strung below latch; on each side, string of three roses above swag of fabric painted with pattern in red, white, and blue; red, white, blue, and black paint on cream-colored ground, slightly discolored.
Credit Line:
Purchased from Elie Nadelman
Object Number:
1937.1587
Marks:
graphite inscription inside lid: "859 / LE / FR."
Gallery Label:
Marriage boxes such as this were a traditional form in Normandy, France. Painted with symbols alluding to love and prosperity, the boxes were used by a new bride to store her money, jewelry, and bridal headress when she moved to her new husband's house after the wedding.
The box was once part of the folk art collection of Elie Nadelman (1882-1946), the avant-garde sculptor. From 1924 to 1934, Nadelman's collection was displayed in his Museum of Folk Arts, located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. The Historical Society purchased Nadelman's entire collection in 1937.
Provenance:
The Folk Art Collection of Elie Nadelman
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1850
eMuseum Object ID:
28053
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Bridebox
Collections:
Classification:
Date:
1826
Medium:
Wood (probably cedar), metal
Dimensions:
Overall: 7 5/8 x 19 1/4 x 11 3/4 in. ( 19.4 x 48.9 x 29.8 cm )
Description:
Oval wooden bridebox and lid of bent side wood secured with strips of wood laced through holes; cover and sides painted in yellow, black, white, red, and green with image of bride and groom on cover with floral swag, border and German letters; sides decorated with stylized tulips and swirling patterns in background.
Credit Line:
Purchased from Elie Nadelman
Object Number:
1937.1109ab
Marks:
painted: on box lid: "In Jahr Christi 1826"
Nadelman Collection label on underside: "2530/Am"
Inscriptions:
Inscribed around the edge of the lid in German: "Keinen andern sag ich zu daß er mir mein Herz aufthu"; dated at lower center: "In Jahr Christi 1826"
Gallery Label:
Brideboxes with this type of decoration were common among Pennsylvania Germans. They were intended for keeping wearing apparel and often were presented by a man to his intended bride as a gift to store her fragile items.
Provenance:
The Folk Art Collection of Elie Nadelman
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1826
eMuseum Object ID:
28052
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
Writing desk
Classification:
Date:
1840-1880
Medium:
Wood, tortoise shell, brass, textile, glass, metal, cedar, paper, wax
Dimensions:
Overall: 5 3/4 × 13 3/8 × 12 in. (14.6 × 34 × 30.5 cm)
Description:
Writing desk with wooden frame overlaid by boulle work (inlaid marquetry of brass and tortoise shell, stained red); frame in the form of high, curved top (with flat back) descending to slant-top desk, with hinged lids meeting at center where top and desk open out; curved lid opens to reveal tiered filing compartments, cut in scallops and points; slant-top lid folds out as writing surface, covered in green velvet with embossed borders, in front of narrow space divided into five compartments (with one compartment divided by wooden tray), with two corners each containing a square glass bottle with brass top with engraved decoration and central compartment containing ink extractor (for removing inkstains), paper sack with 74 tiny tacks, two pieces of red sealing wax, three scraps of paper printed with lines of poetry, four pen nibs, and tiny black and white photograph of woman with hat on metal surface; top half of writing surface can be pulled forward to reveal lower part of desk interior.
Credit Line:
Bequest of Goodhue Livingston, 1951
Object Number:
INV.756ab
Marks:
printed: on first slip of paper: "There's a smile on thy lip and a charm in thine eye,/Which bewitches, enchants me - I can not tell why -/Resistless their power, unbounded their sway ;/I behold, am enslaved, but how I can't say."
printed: on second slip
Gallery Label:
This desk belonged to Mrs. Eugene A. Livingston (Elizabeth R. Fisher, d. 1878), who lived at 16 W. 36th Street.
Date Begin:
0
Date End:
1880
eMuseum Object ID:
28034
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.


















