Enchanted World Arabian Nights Box

These boxes originally came from a mysterious region of the Tatra Mountains, which was discovered by nineteenth century poets and pronounced a land of legends and natural wonders. Since 1992, a team of designers, led by Teresa Witkowska, invigorated the traditional folk designs with contemporary themes, creating highly valued collectible lines. Although American customers have become familiar with Polish boxes only recently, there is a long tradition of making boxes in Polish culture. In Polish villages there was a custom of handcrafting dowry chest for brides. They were distinctive by carved and painted floral designs, signifying prosperity and harmony of life. Even more sophisticated were boxes made for wealthy burgers, living in Polish cities. They contained jewelry, writing equipment, documents or money. Following the old tradition, Polish boxes are still mostly made of linden wood – the best choice for carving, burning and painting techniques – but the quality and range of construction methods have improved significantly. Four exclusive features of Polish boxes constitute their cultural and ethnographic uniqueness: • Raised edge construction: Interior walls of the boxes are lined with thin wood that rises above the lower part of the box for an air tight closing • Feather corner-joint: A wooden peg is inserted into each of four joints for strength and durability • Hidden hinges: Hinges are inserted inside the walls of the box and are almost invisible. • Natural lid support: When opened, the lid does not flip down but it stays vertical by a notch carved along the back wall. The designs on all boxes are burned by hot wire. In some cases this method is enriched by carving and brass inlaid. Subsequently the wood is stained and three layers of sealer are applied on all exposed sides of the box. Surfaces are hand cleaned with sandpaper after each segment of decoration. This time consuming, diligent process is responsible for elegance and durability of final product. The long heritage of craftsmanship among Polish artisans has been combined with ecological consciousness and care for natural environment. Selected trees which provide material for craftsmen are replanted every year in effort to preserve the character of the Polish countryside. Since each box is individually crafted, there are no identical boxes.