Vintage Decorative Wood Trinket Box with Portrait after Sir Joshua Reynolds
Antique & Vintage Decorative Arts

Vintage Decorative Wood Trinket Box with Portrait after Sir Joshua Reynolds

This is a rectangular decorative wooden dresser or trinket box, possibly designed for jewelry or vanity stationery. The lid features an inset lithographic print or decoupaged reproduction of a classic Romantic-era portrait, specifically resembling 'Master Hare' by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The image depicts a young child with fair hair dressed in a rust-colored jacket holding a small dog, rendered in a soft, painterly style with muted earth tones and a hazy background. The box lid is framed by a gold-toned, embossed metallic or gilt gesso border featuring a repeating scrolling or vine-like pattern, which provides a high-contrast accent against the dark wood. The primary material appears to be a stained hardwood or possibly a wood composite with a dark cherry or mahogany finish. Regarding condition, there is visible wear around the edges of the lid, with some scuffing and loss of the gilt finish on the decorative frame. The image inset appears to have some slight yellowing or fading consistent with mid-20th-century decorative household items (c. 1940s-1970s). The box is constructed with straight edges and no visible exterior hinges from the top perspective, suggesting a flush-mount hinge mechanism. The overall craftsmanship suggests a mass-produced decorative piece intended to replicate the upper-class aesthetic of English portraiture.

Estimated Value

$45.00 - $75.00

Basic Information

Category

Antique & Vintage Decorative Arts

Appraised On

February 4, 2026

Estimated Value

$45.00 - $75.00

Item Description

This is a rectangular decorative wooden dresser or trinket box, possibly designed for jewelry or vanity stationery. The lid features an inset lithographic print or decoupaged reproduction of a classic Romantic-era portrait, specifically resembling 'Master Hare' by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The image depicts a young child with fair hair dressed in a rust-colored jacket holding a small dog, rendered in a soft, painterly style with muted earth tones and a hazy background. The box lid is framed by a gold-toned, embossed metallic or gilt gesso border featuring a repeating scrolling or vine-like pattern, which provides a high-contrast accent against the dark wood. The primary material appears to be a stained hardwood or possibly a wood composite with a dark cherry or mahogany finish. Regarding condition, there is visible wear around the edges of the lid, with some scuffing and loss of the gilt finish on the decorative frame. The image inset appears to have some slight yellowing or fading consistent with mid-20th-century decorative household items (c. 1940s-1970s). The box is constructed with straight edges and no visible exterior hinges from the top perspective, suggesting a flush-mount hinge mechanism. The overall craftsmanship suggests a mass-produced decorative piece intended to replicate the upper-class aesthetic of English portraiture.

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