Stencil-decorated Pine Liquor Case with Twelve Blown Glass Bottles

Description:

Stencil-decorated Pine Liquor Case with Twelve Blown Glass Bottles, Nantucket, c. 1821, dovetail-constructed case with hinged lid, the top with black-stenciled name and date of an early Nantucket family name: "S. BARRETT/1821," the front ornamented with quatrefoils and five-point stars within circles, the compartmented interior containing twelve olive-amber, tapered square blown-glass liquor bottles, two with star designs impressed on the pontils, the rest with rough pontils, ht. 11 3/4, wd., 19 1/2, dp. 14 in. overall.

Note: The liquor case reportedly belonged to Samuel Barrett of Nantucket, Massachusetts. According to a Barrett genealogical record, Samuel was born January 29, 1793, the son of Nathaniel (1748-1871) and Margaret (Brock) Barrett (1752-1837). He married Judith Fitch (1795-1864) and together they had five children. After Judith died, he married Mary Davis (1812-1883) in 1868. They had no children. Samuel's occupation is listed as silversmith, and he is buried in the New North Cemetery, Nantucket. A watercolor painting of Samuel and one of his wives is in the Nantucket Historical Society.
Estimate $3,000-5,000

Minor wear, lid slightly bowed, does not clos flat .

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