Dry measure
(c. 1850)
Medium
Maple (Acer sp.), Pine (Pinus sp.), copper, iron
Measurements
16.6 × 25.9 × 11.8 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Decorative Arts, 2025
Gallery location
18th & 19th Century Decorative Arts & Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
The guiding Shaker principles of honesty, utility and simplicity were expressed in the manufacture of their home furnishings, including kitchen and home implements. These works are renowned for their minimalist design and unstinting quality. Dry measures were used by the Shaker communities to measure dry goods such as grains and flour. Crafting dry measures was a similar process to making covered boxes. Thin pieces of wood were soaked or steamed until they were flexible enough to mould to a curved shape.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
New Lebanon, New York, United States
Inscription
punched (vertically) in base c.: D • M
Accession Number
2025.13
Department
International Decorative Arts