Trinity House Inlaid Sewing Box, 19th century, the box is elaborately inlaid on four surfaces with British and French Man-O-War, sloops, steams sail ships. It is likely the box was made onboard the NORE Lightship which is featured on the front panel of the box. The lid opens to reveal inlaid stars and British and French flags on compartment lids.
Height 5 ¼ in. Width 13 in. Depth 9 in.

Trinity House was the name for the lighthouse service in Great Britain in the 19th century. While on station, the keepers of the lighthouses and lightships made these boxes with marquetry and parquetry wood inlays, often featuring sloops, lighthouses and other nautical symbols of the period. The keepers often sold these boxes directly to the captains of sailing vessels using Trinity House services (not dissimilar to the keepers of the Nantucket Lightship making baskets).