With a heavy old mirror set into the elaborately carved lid, it is most likely this was made as a jewelry or sewing box. Dating early - c.1850-80s, it is quite unusual even for the Black Forest carved boxes, in that it is shaped and ornamented with flowers, vines, leaves. This is a one of a kind carved wood chest, of course, and someone's initials are carved there in the gothic-influence escutcheon. The lock certainly is a working lock, but we do not have the original key or a spare to fit it at listing time. We will check our spares to see if something might work and if so, will annotate the listing, but it is currently priced without key. Full measurements noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition, with nary a chip or crack or bit of warp to the heavy old forest-growth wood it's carved from. The original old thick mirror is still in place ini the lid, and is unbroken. The original napped silk fabric liner is in place, shows age but isn't torn or partially missing or anything. Might clean a bit more with a lightly damp cloth. I do think the hinges are replacements. I've shown a detailed image so you can determine, too. But they're sturdy and they work just fine. It must have been very treasured, perhaps a bride's box - to have no chips or damage to it in all this time - going on 170 years in age.
