Brown Shaker Pantry Box
 Three Finger Shaker Pantry Box with left facing Swallowtail Fingers/Laps. Top and Bottom are pine . . . box is Maple. Fastened with Copper Tacks. This box is of a size (4-1/8" in length and 1-1/2" high) that would have been towards the top of the stack and was most likely used to hold spices. Light and delicate as they are, they were designed to last forever, with their "finger" joinery. Since wood swells across the grain when damp, they cut wooden "fingers" which allowed the joint to "breathe" without warping or buckling and allowing the lids to slide on as perfectly today as they did when new. Copper nails wouldn't rust and mar the wood. This little box is in very fine condition with expected minor wear to the paint attesting to its age and usage. One can see clearly where the user grasped the box when holding it and the wear on the high points on the box.
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