A small lidded wooden box whose corners are joined using dovetail joinery, a series of trapezoidal pins cut from the end of one board interlocking with matching tails cut into the end of another, prized for its mechanical resistance to being pulled apart along the joint. Dovetail joinery itself is an ancient technique, with examples found in First Dynasty Egyptian furniture, in the tombs of Chinese emperors and in South Asian stone construction; applied to a small keepsake or jewelry box, the joint is both structural and, left visible at the corners, decorative.
Facts
OriginDovetail joinery is documented in Ancient Egyptian, Chinese and South Asian construction predating written history; applied to small boxes, it remains a benchmark hand-joinery project in woodworking instruction. 1 Distinguishing Technique or ResultTrapezoidal pins and tails, cut into the ends of adjoining boards, interlock at each corner, resisting being pulled apart and, left exposed, displaying the joinery as decoration. 1 Connections
Associated With
Tools Used
Backsaw is used in Dovetailed Keepsake Box Plan.
Sources
1. Dovetail Joint (Wikipedia)
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.