Maine State Prison Handcrafted Mixed-Wood Barrel-Form Trinket Box, Ring Pull View Watchlist >
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Lot # G242
System ID # 30056482
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Maine State Prison Handcrafted Mixed-Wood Barrel-Form Trinket Box, Ring Pull
A one-of-a-kind lidded box turned from a stack of contrasting woods — glowing cherry-toned tops against darker walnut-brown bands and pale sapwood stripes, laminated in horizontal courses that read like a small cooper's cask. The rounded, barrel-like silhouette is finished by hand, with a fitted oval lid that seats into the body and pulls open on a beaded nickel-finish ring escutcheon. The base is stamped MADE BY INMATE AT MAINE STATE PRISON, tying it to the long-running Maine State Prison Showroom tradition of inmate woodcraft sold to the public.
The Maine State Prison in Thomaston operated a store where prisoners' woodworking — ship models, novelty boxes, and turned objects — was sold for generations, a program that gave the work a small but devoted collecting following. This piece carries the hallmarks of that shop: opportunistic use of mixed scrap hardwoods, careful lamination, and a decorative store-bought pull applied as the single finishing flourish. The interior is a simple open well, sized for keepsakes, rings, or small desk odds and ends.
History
Woodworking at Maine State Prison dates to the 19th century and became a signature of the institution's public showroom in Thomaston, where inmate-made goods were sold to passing tourists and locals. Boxes, banks, and turned novelties in laminated mixed woods are the most commonly encountered pieces today, each unique in its combination of stock. The burned "MADE BY INMATE AT MAINE STATE PRISON" stamp is the recognized shop mark for this output.
CONDITION
Good and fully functional; tested, lid seats and lifts freely on the ring pull. Natural splits to the wood are present as noted, consistent with the laminated construction and age. Light handling wear and a few small surface knots and dark inclusions add to the handmade character.
DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall: 4" H × 5" W × 4" D
- Construction: Laminated mixed hardwoods
- Hardware: Nickel-finish beaded ring pull
- Marked: "MADE BY INMATE AT MAINE STATE PRISON" (base stamp)
- Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included
