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Details of Design and Craftsmanship |
Most boxes featured on this site are constructed of solid clear wood of the linden tree, a Central European species famous for shading the main boulevard of Berlin, Unter den Linden.
Other Polish boxes are made of birch, alder, or poplar, depending on the choice of the individual carpenter.
All have sides 1/4" to 3/8" thick, giving them strength and a solid feel.
All boxes have wood interiors, sometimes stained in colors to match the outside, and sometimes unfinished or lightly varnished, preserving the wood's bright natural color.
Some boxes have chiseled interiors or felt lining, as noted on the close-up page for each.
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Many boxes are lined with thin sheets of wood, which rise slightly above the bottom section. The "raised edge" makes gentle contact with the lid as it closes, giving the boxes a firm seal and causing an appealing muffled popping sound as they are opened or closed. |
| The boxes are constructed in the medieval tradition, with no metal fasteners. Sides are held together with miter-and-spline joints -- 45-degree edges joined with thin rectangular wooden pegs and glue. |
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Hinges are recessed into the back wall of each box. (Some smaller boxes have just one hinge.)
All boxes are hinged except round boxes and pyramids. |
| A notch carved into the back wall of each box enables the lid to remain upright rather than falling all the way back. |
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Some traditional designs use extensive wood-burning to create a dark textured background against which stained and painted patterns stand out. |
| Outlines of decorative patterns are burned into the wood surfaces, adding texture.
The boxes are then hand-painted with colored wood stains. Opaque colored paints are also used on some boxes, especially metallic colors on celestial designs (not pictured here.) |
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Brass inlay is used on some traditional designs, a labor-intensive technique that adds extra sparkle and value to these boxes. |
The bottom panel of most boxes is made of birch or poplar plywood.
The boxes' undersides are generally unvarnished and stained in the same color as the background and trim on rest of the box. |
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