A Brief History of The Shaker Oval Box
The Shaker community has been around since 1774 and is still following
the original teachings of its founder, Mother Ann Lee. It isn't as large as it
was and isn't thriving as it was, but it is holding onto its belief of a
simple, religious way of life. The name was originally used in reference to the
body movements of the congregation during worship.
While oval boxes have been
around for quite some time, the Shakers seem to be, to most people, the only
ones who ever made them. These boxes are now used for decorative purposes
mostly. Originally, however, they were most definitely a working box. They were
economical to build. They stored easily because you could nest a whole set of
them in the space of one or if they were all in use, they stacked and still
only took up the space of one. If you needed one to be able to go with you, a
handle could be and was added often. These beautiful boxes are also strong. The
Shakers used them for storing a wide variety of goods. They could hold small
household items or heavy nails for keeping the homestead in working order.
Boxes like these have made their mark and done their part in history.