**SOLD** K1738 Late 19th century North Carolina African American painted pine blanket chest featuring green painted fern and crosshatch decorated surface on a yellow background. The lid reads “March the…” (??). Interior bears natural patina surface with a pencil stick-figure drawing and inscribed Rallghi Dove inside the lid. The bottom board of the interior, below original till, reads: “Rallghi Dove put the lock on”. Square head nail construction.
Measurements: 34” wide x 19 ¼” deep x 22 ½” tall.
NOTE: A Raleigh Dove was found in the 1910 Federal Census living in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina with his grandfather Edward, a farmer, and his wife Mary. Other household members include Edward's two 20 year old sons, John and Henry, and a four year old granddaughter. Both John and Henry worked in a saw mill. We speculate that this chest might have been made for Raleigh by one or both of these men, and that either might have been his father. The Census indicates that Raleigh was six years old making it unlikely that the notation dates to the construction of the chest. Subsequent census information reveals that Dove remained in the Wilmington, North Carolina area working as a driver for a bakery, but by 1930 was living in Brooklyn, New York as a porter.
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