$18,000
Sailor-made Yarn Swift/Sewing Box, 19th century, turned ivory shaft on swift with expanding whalebone slats joined with red, white, and blue ribbons, on a rectangular ebony and whalebone mounted mahogany box with inlaid mother-of-pearl ten-point star, diamond, and quarter-round shaped segments, the corners supported on turned columns, the front and back with dovetailed drawers, with mother-of-pearl inlaid diamonds and shields, flanked by half columns, the sides inlaid with a round whalebone plaque, one engraved with the Coffin family crest, the other with an eagle with an American flag and banner inscribed "E Pluribus Unum," on a shaped skirt with mother-of-pearl-inlaid stars and diamonds, (minor imperfections), ht. 17 1/4, wd. 9, lg. 11 3/4 in. Note: The drawer contains an envelope with the name "Henry Coffin" inscibed on it, containing a note inscribed "Eunice Coffin is admitted into the High School Nantucket Jan'y 19, 1861." followed by three signatures.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2013-10-27