Box Clever
Boxes: A Journey Through Craft and History
From the bottom: the stitched box—simple, functional, and my favourite. These boxes, famously used by Stanley Kubrick and documented in Jon Ronson’s brilliant film Kubrick’s Boxes, have a quiet charm. Made traditionally by family-run factories in Sheffield for over a century, they are a testament to the enduring beauty of utility.
Third up is a handcrafted wooden box, cleverly inlaid with my initials (thank you, Jamie). Keepsake boxes like this have a long history, serving as repositories for personal treasures—tiny, cherished items that tell their own stories. A box like this feels almost timeless, connecting us to an age-old impulse to preserve what matters most.
Fourth is a red faux-lacquered document box sourced from the ever-wonderful @choosingkeeping. Authentic lacquered boxes originated in the rich cultural traditions of Russia and Japan, where layers of painstakingly polished lacquer were used to create objects of unparalleled beauty. This one nods to that heritage while remaining accessible—a modern interpretation of an ancient craft.
Next comes the cigar box, a piece of everyday ephemera transformed by history. Often decorated with folk-inspired illustrations, these humble containers found an unexpected second life in the 19th century. Musicians repurposed them into homemade guitars and fiddles, giving them a new role as vessels of sound and creativity.
And finally, three oval Shaker boxes, handmade from cherry wood and crafted to the elegantly simple 19th-century designs of the Shaker community. Lightweight and practical, with tight-fitting lids, these boxes were used for storing dry goods, seeds, keepsakes, and even the tiny copper nails with which they were constructed. Their design, as with all things Shaker, embodies the perfect union of form and function—beautiful in their simplicity, enduring in their purpose.
Each box carries its own story—a connection to a specific time, place, or tradition. Together, they remind us of the care and craftsmanship that go into even the most utilitarian objects and the lives they quietly touch. Beautiful, indeed.