Hope Chest / Ethnography

The hope chest was very much a woman’s object. Together with the bride, it would “move out” to the new family, where it often remained for many years and even for future generations. The chest played an important role during the new wife’s move to her husband – it was carried to be visible and was often open to ensure the whole community could see the intricately embroidered bedding, kitchen accessories and clothes that were the woman’s dowry. If the bride’s dowry was not special enough to show off, the chest was closed.

Sometimes, if the dowry was small, stones were placed inside the chest before it was transported. It was then of course far heavier and this would spark the imagination of everyone present during the move. The hope chest was often used as a piece of furniture. Since it was part of the dowry of every young bride, it was decorated with great care and painted with flowers and geometric shapes. The earlier crates were covered with earth-colored paints, later, as more colours became available, intense shades of green, blue or red were used.