~ Alaska Museum of Fancy Knots ~
~ FANCY KNOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ~
~ Sea Chest and Ditty Box ~
by: Dan Smith - Salem, Ohio USA
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The builder of this sea chest, Daniel E. Smith, Salem, Ohio - (1928 - ) concluded a search of four years for an original. His aim was to locate one in reasonable condition and restore it to a fine specimen, demonstrating early sailor's craftsmanship. A suitable product for this project was never found. Thus, Smith decided to build one that blended with his own ideas for storing nautical memorabilia used during his many years of sailing and cruising in smaller sail boats. A few of these artifacts are: WW II Navy sextant (given to Smith by a boy hood friend, Capt. Gail A. "Bud" Roose, Coast Guard) used by Smith during a Pacific Crossing in 1986; Bausch and Lomb Navy binoculars, 7 x 50, removed from the docks of a seaport in Wonson, No. Korea - 1950; a small mahogany tool box built by Smith in the 1970's; a small brass kerosene cabin lamp used on numerous vessels during his time at sea; a brass gimbled compass in a mahogany box; a hand sewn canvas ditty bag with assorted knot and art work applied, plus numerous other artifacts of his choice. A removable, two drawer till inside the chest serves as a safe repose for a collection of knives and other items of fancy knot designs. Before starting, plans for the sea chest were drawn out full size on poster board paper with exacting measurements through out, an excellent lesson recommended by Jim Tolpin, author of The Tool Box Book. An unusual feature dictated what size the chest should be. During the builder's 38 years in the jewelry business, he used a very modest desk to show and sell diamonds for engagement and fancy rings. The desk top was a special piece of curly maple 4 feet long by 18 inches wide and 7/8 inches thick. It was left over from planks he used to build a grandfather clock in the early 1960's. This desk top had languished in storage for many years. The top was trimmed to 3 feet, thus establishing the length and width dimensions for the chest – 3' x 18". Wood for the main body of the sea chest is Honduras mahogany. The skirt board is an outstanding grain of tiger (curly) maple. The builder is not a professional wood worker or cabinetmaker by trade, but he undertook the daunting task of learning to hand-cut dovetails, forming all the joints for the top lid assembly, main body of the box, the skirt board, and the walls of the drawer till. No power tools were used to construct these joints. Heavy marine brass hatch cover hinges are used to secure the lid to the main body of the chest with twelve # 10 - 3/4" brass crews. Inside the chest are three sliding shelves and a fixed or stationary shelf with cutout areas to receive binoculars, sextant and brass cabin lamp. These objects are secure from moving about and rest on carpet covering the chest floor. The sea chest lifting handles at each outside end are unique. Two 2" x 2" x 7" blocks of solid teak wood were trimmed and hand fashioned to mount and hold fast each fancy cotton rope handle (becket). Each solid teak cleat or bracket is held securely with two counter sunk 5/16" brass though bolts, washers and nuts fastened to a 1/8" x 2 1/2" x 7" solid brass backing plate. These plates are recessed into the end walls inside of the chest. The four holes drilled in the teak cleats to hold the brass washer and nuts are concealed with hand crafted round brass cover plates. These plates were cut from a piece of 1/8" thick brass and rounded by hand to fit flush into the holes drilled into the outside of the teak brackets. Each of these plates is held in place by three tapered, also flush set, slotted brass screws. The two top plates have been engraved by the builder with his vertical script monogram - "DES". The two lower cover plates are engraved with the legendary Salem Quaker lady silhouette and the name "SALEM" placed beneath. During his lifetime the builder enjoyed a hobby of fancy knot tying, correctly referred to as Marlinspike Seamanship. The matching rope beckets were made many years before this sea chest became a reality. For the interested reader the knots forming the handles are: three strand cockscombing, turksheads, Spanish hitching and coach whipping. Rope material is # 21 and # 72 white cotton. If you are observant you will notice the rope bolts at the tops of each becket are different. One set is a manrope knot (the most often used knot on beckets ); the other end has a pair of star knots, the builder's first preference. The star knot according to sea legend distinguished the amateur from the professional knot tying sailor who sailed the square rigged ships. The lid assembly was constructed with more depth than usual and upon lifting, you notice a piece of 3/8 " white cotton rope, eye spliced and whipped at each end to prevent the lid from falling back too far. The rope is fastened at each end to brass eye straps screwed fast in place. A hinged, panel frame drops down from the primary lid cover. A rack designed to hold books is attached to the underside of the primary lid. Opposite that book rack is a plastic covered area for easy view and storage for charts. The lower lid panel on the other side has a framed picture (sistership ) of the builder's 30 ft. ketch, an Allied Seawind 30. This famous painting was done by James E. Mitchell of Newport, R.I. in the late 1960's. The picture shows Alan Eddy - #11 Apogee being attacked by whales in the Indian Ocean during his round the world voyage. Smith whose flair for things nautical, in earlier years collected ships on stamps. He assemble twelve of his finest specimens and mounted six on each side of Mitchell's painting. A hand carved teak name board is fastened to the front panel of the chest. The name "Kohinoor" was the Seawind 30 ketch owned by Smith and his wife, Jeanine. It was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew as it blew across the northern tip of Key Largo, Florida on August 24, 1992. In conclusion, the final nautical touch to this interesting chest is the escutcheon plate. Above the name board covering the key hole for the brass lock is an escutcheon plate hand shaped in the profile of the Seawind transom. It is engraved with the name "Kohinoor" at the top of the key hole, then emblazoned with some scroll work on the sides, and at the bottom, the years the Smiths owned their Seawind 30, --- " 1981 - 1992 " .
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Daniel E. Smith
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