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Object Story: Oval Shaker Box
Unrecorded artist (American), Oval Shaker box, probably New Lebanon, New York, ca. 1820-1840, pine and maple, tacks, chrome yellow finish. Jonathan and Karin Fielding Collection, L2015.41.27
This large oval box was probably made at the Shaker community in New Lebanon, New York. Its large size suggests that it may have been used to store a bonnet. Shakers made boxes for their own use and for sale to outsiders as a source of income. Between 1822 and 1836, the New Lebanon community alone made 24,500 boxes in various sizes and colors. But why was it mass produced? How many boxes did their small community really need? Although Shaker communities were mostly self-sufficient, they still needed goods from the outside world. They earned income to buy these goods through the sale of their crafts and furniture. This income, however, was not given to individual crafts people. Any profit from sales went to the community as a whole. The Shakers believed that all property was owned by everyone in the community: share and share alike. This increased the likelihood that Shakers would be equal.
Benson John Lossing, Shaker Meeting House, Lebanon, August 18, 1856, drawing.
Background on the Shakers
The Shakers are a religious community established in the eighteenth century by leader and prophet Ann Lee in Manchester, England. In those days, it was very rare to see a female religious leader, but Shakers believe strongly in gender equality. “Mother Lee,” as she was known, led the emigration of a handful of Shakers to the American Colonies in 1744 and first established a community in Watervliet, NY, near Albany. Because Shakers believed that having sex was a sin, they could not have babies. They had to actively recruit new members to their religion to keep it growing. At its peak, the Shakers numbered around 6,000 people living in nineteen different communities ranging from Maine to Kentucky. As of 2020, there are only two living Shaker members.
“Shaker” is a nickname given by outsiders because of the way that their bodies shook and quivered during the emotional parts of their religious services. Their formal name is the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing.
Benson John Lossing, The Dance, August 16, 1856, watercolor.
Shaker Style
Some common characteristics define Shaker style, suggesting that craftspeople conformed to a set of values when making objects like boxes. They believed in simplicity, uniformity, and utility. You can see these values at play in their boxes.
What was the distinctive style that they conformed to and how do their cultural values show up in their work?
Oval Shaker box
Oval Shaker box
Unrecorded artist (American), Oval Shaker box, probably New Lebanon, New York, ca. 1820-1840, pine and maple, tacks, chrome yellow finish. Jonathan and Karin Fielding Collection, L2015.41.27
Simplicity in Design
The Shakers believed in simplicity in all matters whether it was the design of material goods, the way they lived, or the way they practiced their religion. They shunned any type of fanciness or decoration. A consistent saying among the Shakers was: “Don’t make something if it isn't useful." Some boxes were made so that they could stack into one another to save room.
Balance and Uniformity
Shakers believed that God was not a separate entity but is found in the details of their work and attention to perfection in all things. Crafts of any kind should have symmetrical proportion, balance, color, and texture to reflect the perfectness of God. Boxes of the same type would be almost identical and uniform to all others like it.
New Technologies and Innovations
Hard work is a part of the Shakers’ religious belief. Between the years of 1822 – 1865, the Shakers produced 77,000 boxes like this one. But they didn’t just work harder, they worked smarter. This tremendous output was made possible by the adoption of new technologies at the time like the circular saw and the water wheel. In fact, Shakers were known for being inventors and early adopters of new technology. Shakers (including many women) invented hundreds of labor-saving devices from the apple corer to the washing machine. They are often confused with the Amish, who have not adopted many new technologies since the 1700s.
Questions for Discussion
- Consider the well-known Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts” or investigate Shaker furniture designs. How are the ideals of simplicity, uniformity, and utility reflected in these works of art?
- How might the Shakers be like other religious groups who settled in the United States? How did they maintain their cultural values? How did they adapt?
- What can you learn from a collection of objects that you can’t learn from one object?
- Compare other Shaker containers, like this one and this one, and non-Shaker boxes from the same American era like this one and this one. How would you describe the style of the Shaker containers as compared to non-Shaker containers? Use as many adjectives as you can.
