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Shaker Decorative Boxes

Shaker Style

Authentic antique Shaker furniture is hard to come by, but not exceedingly rare. “Shaker style” describes furnishings and interiors that are both warm and simple, centered on unpretentious wooden chairs, tables and cabinets without ornament or embellishment. 

The term derives from the popular name for an all-but-vanished American religious sect, whose members crafted modest household furniture and objects as part of their belief in purposeful living and simplicity in all things.

Members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing — called Shakers, derisively, because they writhed and danced in religious ecstasy during worship — arrived in the United States from England in 1774. Within 50 years, the sect had established 19 self-sufficient communities from Maine to Kentucky, where they lived pure, humble and industrious lives.

The furniture and objects the Shakers made reflected their strict rules of behavior. Pieces such as ladder- and slat-back chairs and trestle tables were painstakingly crafted from native woods like maple and cherry, using traditional methods such as mortise-and-tenon and dovetail joinery and lathe turning. They employed strong, straight lines and symmetrical proportions, and decoration of any kind — carving, veneers, inlays — was prohibited, as it would encourage the sins of pride and vanity.

The Shakers movement included some 6,000 members at its peak in the 1860s, but the group practiced celibacy and could attempt to sustain their flock only by recruiting new adherents. Modernity proved too alluring. Today only one tiny Shaker community, in Maine, still exists, though the sect’s heritage is preserved at several historical sites.

To support their communities, the Shakers sold furniture to outsiders, who appreciated its superb quality. While the “Shaker style” label is today given to many plain, simple wooden pieces, it should also denote superior construction and solid materials. As elements in interior design, Shaker furnishings work best in a quiet decor. Modest pieces such as these can become lost among more ornate works. The style is most suitable to a country home — although a Shaker chair or cabinet can make a striking counterpoint in a modernist, urban setting.

Shaker furniture and objects have a deep appeal for their warmth, honesty and graceful simplicity, which make them welcome almost anywhere.

Find antique Shaker furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

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Style: Shaker
19th Century Chrome Yellow Shaker Box with Original Surface
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oval Shaker box in chrome yellow paint with four swallowtail joints. Northeastern United States, 19th century. Completely original, dry, untouched surface. Measurements: 3 1/8” ...
Category

Mid-19th Century American Antique Shaker Decorative Boxes

Materials

Maple, Pine

Set Of Three Nesting Leather Shaker Style Oval Boxes
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Set of three leather shaker style oval boxes with finger and riveted construction. Each box with an embossed center panel flanked by smooth banding. Set nests for storage. Dimensions...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Shaker Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

19th Century New England Bentwood Green Pantry Box with Crackled Texture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Lidded pantry box with original deep aqua-green painted surfaces - further darkened by natural patina that it appears almost black (New England, USA, 19th Century). Steamed and bentw...
Category

19th Century American Antique Shaker Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

Large Antique Shaker Box, Trunk in Bentwood, 19th Century Scandinavia
Located in Esbjerg, DK
God only knows what this large bentwood Trunk has been through. It has scuffs, ware and patina all-over. Yet it is still very useable, stabile and decor...
Category

19th Century Scandinavian Antique Shaker Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bentwood

American Mission Bronze Spider Web Box
Located in Queens, NY
American Mission Tiffany rectangular bronze spider web filigree box with glass panel interior
Category

20th Century American Shaker Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bronze

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American Bronze and Enameled Box/Humidor by E.F. Caldwell, New York, 1900s
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19th Century French Green Opaline Glass Box
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19th Century French Green Opaline Glass Box. In very good vintage condition.
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19th Century French Green Opaline Glass Box
19th Century French Green Opaline Glass Box
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19th Century Original Grey Painted Large Candle Box from New England
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Ceramic Spider Jewelry Box , hand made in South Africa
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Gem of a Bronze Antique Jewelry Box
Located in Hopewell, NJ
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Gem of a Bronze Antique Jewelry Box
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19th Century Oak Box
Located in Vienna, AT
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Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Shaker Decorative Boxes

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19th Century Oak Box
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Set of Three Small Vintage Italian Leather Jewelry Boxes
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Set of Three Small Vintage Italian Leather Jewelry Boxes
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$375 / set
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19th Century Box with Brass Plaque
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$275
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19th Century Cent Box
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English 19th Century Leather Trunk
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Cedar Storage Boxes
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6 Pc, Vintage Maple Stacked Set of Shaker Nesting Boxes
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6 Vintage G. Loyd Handmade Bentwood Cedar Nesting Pantry Boxes Shaker Primitive
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Antique American Table Top Shaker Spice Box circa 1800’s
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Set of 11 Shaker Style Bent Wood Boxes by James Lynch, 2001
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Shaker Four Fingered Mt. Lebanon Oval Pantry Box, Late 19th Century
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Located in New York, NY
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Early 20th Century Shaker Sewing Basket
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Early 20th Century Shaker Sewing Basket
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19th Century Shaker Style Container with Lid
By Shaker Style
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This 19th century Shaker style original red painted container with the original hand carved lid is in fine condition.
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Monumental Lesher School Bird's-Eye Maple 6-Finger Shaker Box, 20th Century
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Pennsylvania Dutch Shaker Four-Finger Lidded Box by James Lesher, 20th Century
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Shaker decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Shaker decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, bentwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Shaker decorative boxes made in a specific country, there are North America, United States, and Europe pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative boxes differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $300 and tops out at $995 while the average work can sell for $787.

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