Knife Box
Medium
Mahogany, mahogany veneer, white pine, tulip poplar
Dimensions
14 5/8 x 8 3/4 x 8 7/8 in. (37.1 x 22.2 x 22.5 cm)
Classification
Knife box
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Morris K. Jesup Fund, 1954
Accession Number
54.24.1
Art Historical Context
This elegant knife box, crafted between 1765 and 1795 by Daniel Fueter Jr. and Lewis Fueter, reflects the refined tastes of colonial and early American households. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, the piece would have held silverware in a prosperous dining room, both practical and decorative purposes during a time when such items signaled social standing and attention to domestic ritual. The box is constructed from mahogany and mahogany veneer over white pine and tulip poplar, materials chosen for their rich grain and durability. These woods allowed artisans to create...
About the Artist
Daniel Fueter Jr.|Lewis Fueter ( |American) · 1766 |1783 –1775 |1806
active ca. 1769–75|active ca. 1786–1806