Pure joy to find this one in Mid-coast Maine this week, a 1859 wallpapered "band" box with very lovely exterior, but completely wonderful and surprising interior and underside! I can't look those pink and yellow papered grids and stripes without thinking of Froebel kindergarten cut and woven paper works, which it would have pre-dated a bit in the U.S., and also of course of quilts, and of 20th century modern abstract painting...just glorious. And it was certainly an inventive and resourceful woman who made this one, using printed scraps to make those patterns (they are clearly printed on the flip side) and layered them over newspaper of the day, as is often the case with these, but here using the grids of the printed columns as another design element. Every inch of the box attended to, with one delight after another revealing itself. There is a 1859 date to the newspaper, which mentions New York and Connecticut, and one little scrap on the interior revealing "Lowell, MA."
9 1/16 x 3 3/4 and in very good antique condition--structurally in great shape, no losses, just light general wear and fairly minor paper losses to the exterior of the lid.
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