A Trinity House Inlaid Sewing or Work Box, England, Circa 1880

Inlaid with polychrome marine scene and the inscription, "E. A. Wallis," the interior fitted with pincushion and compartments having covers inlaid with national and signal flags.

H: 5 1/2 in. W: 13 1/8 in. D: 9 3/8 in.

Property from the Buck Family Collection, Philadelphia

Provenance:

Sallea Antiques, New Canaan, Connecticut.

Note:

Trinity House was Great Britain's lighthouse service. From 1850-1880, lighthouse keepers made inlaid boxes while on active lighthouse duty. They were often made for specific sailing captains and ship owners.

William "Bill" Clifton Buck (1928-2023) was a successful businessman, avid sportsman, and leader within the Philadelphia community. Bill attended Lafayette College, where he majored in Economics, and later joined the family business, Smith Kline and French (later GlaxoSmithKline). Alongside his brothers, he founded and expanded The Drug House and later established TDH, a venture capital firm that invested in major companies such as ESPN and Staples. Bill married Laura Thomas (1931-2024) in 1954, and they enjoyed a vibrant 68-year marriage. Together, they were active philanthropists, supporting numerous organizations and causes in Nantucket, Vero Beach, and Philadelphia, including the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In addition, Bill’s lifelong passion for baseball led him to become a partner in the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981, and he cherished the team's successes, including the 2008 World Series win.

“Bucktucket,” their beloved Nantucket residence, offered an impressive backdrop for the couple’s collection of Nantucket art. The furnishings of Bucktucket, a traditional cedar-shake house, and of the couple’s Villanova residence seamlessly blended their varied interests into an inviting and cohesive aesthetic. Bill and Laura loved discovering just the right things to fill their homes, meeting artists and dealers along the way. Their collection is marked by several spectacular pieces, including fine period furniture, maritime painting, scrimshaw, sailor’s valentines, wool-work pictures, ceramics, and folk art, offered within this single-owner sequence.