Featured Help Identifying English Keepsake Box – Family Heirloom with Cottage Image

Hello Antiquers,
I’m reaching out in hopes of learning more about a wooden keepsake box that’s been in my family for generations. It was brought over from England by my great-grandfather, and I’ve recently taken on the task of documenting its history as part of our family legacy.
The box features a charming image of a cottage on the top surface, and within that image appears to be a subtle marking—possibly a signature or maker’s mark. There are no burn marks or labels, and the interior is plain wood (not velvet-lined). There is a mirror held in by a paper board. I haven’t explored other channels yet, so this is my first attempt at identifying it.
I’d be grateful for any insights into:
• The possible origin or era of the box
• Whether the cottage image or marking resembles any known makers
• Suggestions for further research or identification
This piece holds deep sentimental value, and I’d love to preserve its story for future generations. I’ve attached clear photos of the box and the marking for reference.
Thank you for your time and expertise.
Warm regards,
David B Harding
USA - Lathrop, CA

 

According to the website of Art Vintage Ltd, the image is a print by the artist William Thompson, titled "The Grandma's Cottage", and dated circa 1930s -

https://www.darvillsrareprints.com/Vintage calendar art cabins cottages 8.htm




I have found several almost identical jewelry/trinket boxes currently listed on ebay. One describes the image as a lithograph, cut and applied with the decoupage method. None provide further specific information about the origin or date of the boxes.

Ebay no longer allows us to use direct links to their listings, so I will copy the images and include the item number so that you can track them down on the website -

eBay item number:125060863858


eBay item number:174705509088


eBay item number:363824633991

 

There are several of the same and similar on eBay. Nothing definitive. They say 1940s onward. One had an applied note that it was received as a gift in 1951.

Do a search on eBay with this text ...
hand carved cedar wood box decoupage cottage scene

 

".It was brought over from England by my great-grandfather,"

family stories are always rich with inaccuracy .......

 

I always understood these were originally candy boxes. Like this one up on eBay with its original sticker. (Item #154289599127)

Debora

 

Welcome David.
With pieces like this, the most important value is the sentimental value. Even though it isn't a rare heirloom, I hope you still cherish it for the importance it had for your family.

 

Welcome David,
I agree with the others! It is a sweet box and just because the date and the family oral history don't "exactly" jive... it is special to your family! A couple more generations and it becomes even more "special". I think _all_ of us on this site, have found errors in our oral family heirloom narrative! If I have something I want / hope will stay in the family... I research it and will try to provide a little note to stay with the item. Come visit again!
Cheerio,
Leslie

 

Hi David. Welcome to the forum. On searching for this type of box, the huge majority of them are for sale in the USA. This could suggest it originated on your side of the pond. Maybe it was transported to the USA by a relative but it may well have been brought over here first with bubble gum and vinyl records. Just a thought.

 

On the other hand, we do not know the dates of Mr. Harding's great grandfather, or when and where he acquired the box. If the box is 1930-ish, there has been plenty of time for three or four generations.

 

He said Great Grandfather....

 

Welcome aboard David! I love your little box and that you’re working on preserving your family history! Do you have an ancestry account or suchlike? I have found entry records there for some of my relatives, and that would seem a perfect thing to store in the box.

As for date, I’d like to point out that popular prints often keep getting printed for some time. A print being made and sold in the 1930’s may also have been sold in the 1920’s and 1940’s. Also, it could have been carved and/or decoupaged before or after it was acquired or bought here. Do you have anyone in your family tree who did such things?

Finally, pictures of the inside and underside of the box can often help with figuring out age.

 

These boxes come up fairly often - here's a post from February:

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/help-identifying-trinket-box.88838/#post-10265945

~Cheryl

 

Corrected. Just a simple typo/brain fart.

 

Thank you for the reply, I do have an account on Ancestry.com but I am not very active. The maternal side of my family was the Hilton family in Marysville, WA. I am purported to be the 9th great grandson of Hugh Moser. Bertha Moser being my father's mother. Which Ancestry.com seems to indicate. I am by DNA, 72% English and some Irish, Scottish and Wales. Even though the ancestors I have in recent memory all lived in America.

My wife and I had taken the DNA test, in hopes of having a spicy ancestry. In the end it was what we already suspected.

As for occupations I know of Dairy farming done by the Hilton's and my grandfather Harding owned Green Wood Autobody in Seattle WA. We migrated from back east during the great depression. The great dust bowl destroyed my family's ranch in Ohio. My mother owned a travel agency, and my father was an electrical engineer in Boeing Aerospace for 30 years. I inherited a lot of antiques but unfortunately, I had no place to put them, so I had to sell many of them. Most were actually gifted to someone I had considered to be a friend with the promise that I could have them back at a moment's notice.

My life has been a struggle, like most people I know. When I was a child I had a moose head in my room with two original Edward C. Curtis photos of native Americans. They were priceless, unfortunately one was sold the other stolen. Another topic for another day. But if anyone is interested in /my history/this history let me know on another post.

Thank you to all who had replied.

David Harding

 

Thank you for the reply. This is the best answer. I appreciate the time you put in to research this.

David Harding

 

Afaik the name Moser is Austrian and southern German. I don't know if that is spicy enough for you?

 

It seems most families have a spicy corner in their family closet! I have found Familysearch.org a good engine to search. Run by the Mormons (whether or not you are a fan...) it _is_ "what" they do... researching archives and posting. I accidently stumbled on the site a couple years ago. It is free. I had tried Ancestry (month free from an auntie) and I found nothing that I could utilize.... nothing I typed in connected with anyone else. When I stumbled into Familysearch... I plugged in my name/hubby's - our parents' names and our grandparents names and BINGO... I had tree's back to forever on most lines! I've worked with them quite a lot since then...mostly adding family photos to relatives who were already there! I only found a few minor discrepancies - easily corrected. I will say, that they only post those antecedents who have been expired 100+ years. So that's why I had to add myself and 2 gen's. The information about our generation and our parents generation are still confidential UNLESS we choose to share it with someone - button to connect available. I'm so sorry that so many of your family things have been sold, lost or stolen... that makes me sad. Perhaps one day you'll run across a like item and can fill a hole....

Cheerio,
Leslie

 

Ha ha, I discovered that my mother was adopted. Her parents never told her and she didn't ask questions although I know she wondered occasionally. Haven't looked for her birth family and as the generation that might have a clue is my age, so... I've got some stuff on ancestry, but haven't tried Familysearch. Dunno if it is spicy, but was interesting!

 

I did the Ancestry DNA and came up with all Northern-ish European. Nothing further south than Bavaria. No north Africans, no west African, no Jewish although there should be. No east Asian. Nada. Darnitt. Nothing good squirreled up the family tree either, except one story that probably isn't even true. I may need to check for family trees and see if there's any good tea spilled out there somewhere.

 

I've always wanted some Latin blood line in there somewhere and according to my DNA from ancestry, I have 1% Portuguese or Spanish genes -- it goes back and forth everytime the DNA database is updated.