The Art of the Mariner
In the 19th century, sailors—often those crewing the great whaleships—created artifacts for their own use or for loved ones back home. Boxes, commonly referred to as "ditty boxes" used to store personal effects, miniature bureaus, watch holders, cutlery boxes, salt boxes, pipe holders and numerous forms of sewing items were among the most common types of artifacts. The few remaining originals of these highly prized items are in private collections and maritime museums. Please see the Sources page for original examples of this art form, many of which provided the inspiration for pieces offered for sale on this site.
We acquire classic 19th-century American antiques, restore them, and inlay them in the style of the artifacts created by the mariners of that era. Many of the motifs used are classic scrimshaw designs inspired by designs in museums and private collections. Others are drawn from folk art designs, quilt patterns, and common nautical themes such as the compass rose. The inlays are comprised of exotic woods and material, including bone, mother of pearl (MOP), holly, burled elm, ebony and tortoise shell. Any bone used in the construction process comes from species such as camel or giraffe not designated as endangered species. Except for the bone source, which was whalebone in the 19th century, the original artifacts were often made of the same material used by us, and our reworked antiques are essentially indistinct from the originals. Unless otherwise noted, all boxes are American antiques and are inlaid exclusively in America. No pieces are imported from - or inlaid - outside the USA.
The photographs on this site display a sampling of these artifacts, many of which are available for immediate purchase while others can be designed upon request.
Shapes of our boxes are either oval or round, and they vary in size from three to fifteen inches in diameter for the round examples. Miniature bureaus, document boxes, and other artifacts are generally less than twelve inches by twelve inches. Depending on the availablity, any design motif can be applied to any item. Prices range from $265 to $2,750 depending on size and intricacy of design and the age and quality of the base antique piece. We invite you to look through the examples shown on this site and to contact us with any questions.
Please note: Unless otherwise noted, all items are antiques at least 100 years old. In some cases, they have required repair in the restoration process. Further, they all enjoy a certain degree of distressed appearance to be expected in pieces of such age and hard use. In making repairs, we have been careful to respect each piece's original character and integrity.