Early (1817-18!) New England Polka Dotted Wallpaper Band Box with Newspaper Lining and Hand-stitched Mending star shaped pie crimper "A present for a dear

"A present for a dear child" or a "A present for Thomas" or "A present from an affectionate father" but I have never seen "A Present from Battle" and can't find another out there like it anywhere

but the mounting makes it a bit hard to see underneath to read it--it looks perhaps like Thomas Wed (or Weo

while a piper pipes away

signed Davin and with what looks to me like an 80

Early (1817-18!) New England Polka Dotted Wallpaper Band Box with Newspaper Lining and Hand-stitched Mending star shaped pie crimper "A present for a dearI often covet 19th c. wallpaper covered "band" boxes, but rarely am willing to pay the price for them. But this one, found at a lovely old school single owner antique shop in MA that deals in early American antiques, just completely won me for the minimalism of its navy on cream hand printed (hand painted?) polka dots; its very early 1817 18! newspaper lining; and the hand stitched thread mending all around the rim. Like the tiny hand beaded