Antique Wooden Keepsake Box with Hand-Painted Sail Ship, c. 1890–1920

An antique wooden keepsake or document box, dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, featuring a hand-painted nautical scene of a sailing ship within a circular medallion. The ship is shown cutting through stylized waves beneath full sail, accented with a red cross emblem—likely decorative in nature and commonly seen in maritime folk imagery of the period.

The box is constructed from solid wood with a hinged lid, simple clasp closure, and a lightly carved geometric border framing the painted panel. The interior is plain wood, showing age, tool marks, and light inscriptions consistent with long-term personal use. The exterior retains its original hand-applied paint and finish, with surface wear, scratches, and paint loss that add to its authentic patina.

This type of box would have been used to store letters, documents, photographs, or personal effects, and today serves as a strong folk art decorative object or functional antique storage piece.

Details:

Date: c. 1890–1920