American Folk Art. Pennsylvania Dutch or German?

I've been researching this approx. 10 in. copper & brass box/chest/casket since found here in NJ. And what I have found so far is absolutely nothing! Nothing that looks similar to its construction and materials used. One of the most interesting features is the "hidden" locking mechanism, a small button found under the missing handle's baseplate.

My thoughts are this is probably American folk art, Pennsylvania Dutch or German, 19th C, or some type of metalsmith apprentice piece, but I could be totally wrong.

Your thoughts, if any?

Thank you!

 

I thought before it might be a one of a kind but I certainly don't know

 

I found out this information on the name "Hellen" --
"Hellen Name Meaning
Swedish: ornamental name formed with häll ‘rock’, ‘stone’ + the adjectival suffix -én, a derivative of Latin -enius.English: variant of Ellen 1 (with inorganic initial H-).English: variant of Hillian.Irish (west Cork): variant of Heelan.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press"

I see you found the box in NJ, but here is information in link below about the "concentration" in the USA of the name "Hellen." You've probably already seen this but . . . .

http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=hellen

 

Tried to search some on this and am coming up blank. My first reaction is that it is in the manner of a European strong box but didn't come up with much similar. I tried searching puzzle boxes and the only thing even remotely similar was a wood Scandinavian box that required buttons be pushed in succession to open it. Most of the other puzzle boxes used slide mechanisms. I only found modern ones made in metal other than the wonderful ones made by Harry Dixon. They are not similar at all. This very well could be a one of a kind piece made by a skilled worker.

 

It looks like a model of an Armada chest.

 

@ Sharona, it could very well be a one-off piece.

@ Yourturn, no I haven't seen that info and thank you for replying and posting it. Thanks!

@ Don, thanks for the Jersey history and Bob Brooks info.

@ Brad, thanks for taking the timeout to help search and try and locate a similar example. We searched for many hours and found nothing. We found antique Islamic "combination-boxes" with their locking mechanisms at top and riveted, but this box we believe is a 100% American made antique. This mechanism works somewhat like a combination. If the two fittings that once held the missing handle aren't turned one clockwise and the other counter-clockwise, then the baseplate will not lift and detach form the lid.

@ AF, it does like a bit like a Armada chest.

 

Hearts and stars are vey typical of Penn. Dutch painting and designs.


In German, the word 'Hellen' means brightly, it is also used as an adjective for emphasis, like we might use the word utter. It is one form of a common German Last name.

"The history of the Hellen family name begins in the German province of Bavaria." Many PD people came form Southern Germany.

 

It sound like if there was a handle previously and it was fixed, the locking mechanism wouldn't have worked. Maybe there never was a handle, or it was removable?

 

Thanks for your reply and info.

Our first thoughts were Penn. Dutch/German when this item was purchased. Especially given the design of hearts and stars (Hex or Barnstar) which is a common theme around here when driving through PA.

 

Pat, it definitely had a removable handle at some point in its life which acted I assume as a sort of "key(?)".