Here’s a vibrant and unusual wallpaper covered comb box that will brighten up you bandbox collection! The bright blues, browns, reds and mustard over white are made all the more wonderful by the hearts edging the pincushion top of the box. The pincushion on top is covered with a really lovely teal colored damask over tan linen. As you can see, there is fabric loss to the damask, but, in my opinion, that merely adds to the charm of this bandbox. The box is of stitched pasteboard construction. You can see the stitching at the top edge. From the inside of the box, you can see that there has been a bit of moisture damage—an inevitability with early card boxes. The moisture staining can be seen from the inside but is not noticeable from the outside. There is a collection number written on the inside of the lid. The paper is turned over the edges which is a good sign because the box has not been cut down. 10 ½” long x 5 ½” deep x 5 ½” tall including the pincushion. American, 2nd quarter of 19th century. This is a very special box, whether topping a stack of bandboxes or sitting along!

#5925    $845

Reference: Carlisle, Lilian Baker, Hat Boxes and Bandboxes at Shelburne Museum, Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vermont, 1960.