The present pair of knife boxes belong to a tradition of decorative cutlery cases made in the late Federal period. Before silver drawers were incorporated into sideboards, knife boxes were meant to sit atop staple dining room furniture singularly or in pairs. These cases were chiefly made of mahogany, which became the favorite primary wood used in furniture after its introduction in the colonies. Although no overtly similar pieces have been located, making comparative interpretation problematic, the overall design, certain decorative elements, and acquisition history in Baltimore (along with a pair of card tables which are most certainly of Baltimore origin), suggest the origin of the knife boxes. Furthermore, the secondary woods of poplar and white pine, although not exclusionary, support the attribution.

Of Cuban mahogany. The rectangular top with moulded edge above a frieze set to the front with paired drawers, one of dummy form, to each side the frieze set with single drawers, one of dummy form, each with gilt escutcheons, to the rear half the frieze raised on a pedestal, set to either end with three tiered drawers, each with gilt escutcheon and ring handle, above shaped block feet, to the front half the frieze raised on two legs, each leg terminating in a pad foot.

Of various woods including boxwood, purple heart, mahogany and ebony. The rectangular top with curved corners with original black leather inset within a band of Greek key decoration and edged with a geometric border, the continuous shaped frieze inlaid with a striped pattern and concealing four drawers to the front opened by hidden locks and catches and concealing an extending writing surface to the reverse, the central ratcheted slide inlaid with a coronet. The knee-hole to the front flanked by two deep drawers, inlaid with a geometric patterns and released by a hidden mechanism below each drawer, the sides and reverse similarly inlaid, the curved corners inlaid with a lozenge pattern, the whole raised on four shaped and turned legs, each inlaid with tapering striped decoration.

A very similar table can be seen in William Odom's book, A History of Italian Furniture. The table Odom illustrates is of walnut with elongated drawers, however the identical Greek key frieze below the drawers, coupled with the closely comparable fluted tapering legs and fluted corner-posts strongly suggest that both pieces share the same maker. The table illustrated by Odom is described as being either 'Liguria or Emilia, Late XVIII Century'

Of mahogany with gilt brass mounts. The rectangular top with tooled leather inset above a frieze fitted to the front and reverse with three drawers with gilt brass drop-handles, the frieze fully dummied to the sides, the top raised on two pedestals, each fitted with three graduating drawers with gilt brass handles, to the front a hinged flush paneled door to the reverse, each door opening to reveal an interior fitted with shaped folio divisions, the panels edged with ebony stringing, the sides similarly inlaid with two panels, each pedestal raised on a plinth base.

Of ebonised wood with gilt bronze mounts. The rectangular top inset with a leather panel and encased with a gilt bronze moulded edge, the panelled frieze fitted with three drawers to the front, each edged with gilt bronze moulding and centred by a cartouche key-escutcheon and foliate drop handle, the frieze fully dummied to the reverse. The whole raised on four circular, tapering and fluted legs, each leg headed by an acanthine capital, the flutes with bronze festoon mounts, each leg terminating in acanthine decoration and a toupie foot.

Of birch and bog oak inlaid throughout in a geometric design. Comprising two sections, the upper section with a rectangular top above a frieze fitted with two cavetto fronted drawers centred by a short drawer, the frieze above the cylinder opening to reveal a restored fully fitted interior centred by a hinged door flanked by two high drawers flanked to either side by three compartments, two short drawers and a long drawer, the cylinder above an inlaid extending serpentine fronted writing desk, the conforming lower section fitted with two long drawers flanked by faux fluted corners, the sides inlaid, the whole raised on four restored tapering inlaid legs.