Child's wooden paint box

Wooden paint box with paints, paint pots, brushes, crayons with lift out tray. 'M. E. Lucy, Nov. 24th 1868' is inscribed on the base of the box.

What child would not have been enticed by this paint box to try their hand at painting or even colouring the many commercially produced painting books, such as The sunshine book for boys & girls, published in the 1940s, or Sunlight painting book of animals?

Reserved perhaps for quiet or rainy days, painting was an approved indoor activity for children. Books or parents might provide tuition in the finer points of watercolour work. There would be much satisfaction in producing a recognisable painting of an animal or a local scene. For the less talented child there were commercially available colouring or painting books to complete by applying the colours.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

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