Carey’s Jewelry Box

My shop time over the last few years has provided me the opportunity to make some progress on that pile of “someday” projects that have accumulated throughout a fifty plus year career in custom furniture building. This project was born with a request (sometime about 5 years ago), from my daughter Carey for something to keep her jewelry collection in. Funny how life gets in the way… and, of course, we always want to exceed a loved one’s expectations when making a personal item for them. After her extended wait-time, I wanted to go an extra mile.

It started with a rough sketch based mostly on several full-sized armoires commissioned by customers and distilled into a chest style that could store all the different types of jewelry in her trove.

Project Details

Client My daughter Carey
Date 2025
Dimensions 22 ½ x 18 x 10
Materials African Mahogany, blister-figured maple, ebony, brass and mother of pearl

I have been hoarding choice veneers and pieces of wood my entire career. Searching through the stashes up in my loft, I came across a small stack of sequential blister-figured maple veneer just wide enough for door and side panels. The wider back of the case could be divided into two panels. We chose African mahogany for the contrasting casework.

The lid opens to a foam ring cushion covered with an ivory-colored velvet. I found the solid brass hinges (with 95 degree stops) in the Brusso catalog.

The mirror is recessed in the lid to accommodate rings with larger stones or settings. Slotted memory foam was used as a bed for the velvet outer fabric.

Drawer dividing grids provide a variety of divided storage areas. The drawers are all lined with the same ivory velvet. Side closets swing open on either side of the chest with brass pegs for hanging longer chains and necklaces.

The shop-made pulls were turned from mahogany and inlaid with mother of pearl rounds.

The upper closet is fitted around its interior perimeter with brass pegs, positioned for hanging shorter necklaces and chains with clearance around two removable nested boxes.

Two nesting boxes set into the upper closet for bracelets and various other trinkets. Their finger joints, upper edges and corner surrounds are ebony.

The brass posts for hanging necklaces are actually guitar bridge pins. Side closet doors are fitted with Soss invisible hinges and feature spline-mitred construction. More of the brass bridge pins posts for longer chains and necklaces.