Puckerings has dated this piece to the 1870s.
Fern boxes were made to store pressed native fern specimens mounted inside paper folders, the Victorian English were keen collectors of flora and fauna from the lands of the New World. From New Zealand, specimen collections were frequently purchased by returning troops or gifted to visiting dignitaries as a memento of their time in the country and would no doubt have become a novelty in any English home. Many boxes, fern albums and tables have been located in Australia and UK (where this one was located).
The interior is set with an English Victorian brass lock (the box has a working key) and has a variety of lidded compartments that would have been perfect for collecting the local flora of New Zealand.
Excellent condition, measuring 12" x 9 1/2" x 3 1/4" tall.
Item ID: 34424
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Puckerings has dated this piece to the 1870s.
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Magnificent New Zealand Marquetry & Parquetry Inlaid Box with Ferns C.1870
