Small Enamelled Box - Cancer

• The lid is a deep navy enamelled panel, smooth against the grain of the wood around it.
• At its centre, the twelve constellations of the zodiac circle the Cancer crab, drawn in a soft gold-brown line on cream.
• A fine halo of gold dots frames the wheel, so the lid reads like a small patch of night sky.
• The sides are warm, mid-brown wood with visible grain, so the box looks as good on a shelf as it does on a dressing table.
• A dark metal hasp at the front closes it with a small, satisfying latch.

The body is wood left in a natural brown finish, its grain showing clearly along the sides, and each box will carry slightly different markings. The lid's enamelled panel gives a strong colour contrast to that warmth, and the dark metal clasp echoes the navy above it. Together they give a quiet, slightly old-fashioned look.

Cancer is the crab of the zodiac, a water sign traditionally associated with home, memory and looking after the people closest to you. The crescent moon above the crab nods to the moon's traditional place as Cancer's ruling body in astrological symbolism. It is a design that suits someone born under the sign, or anyone who likes their keepsakes to carry a little meaning.

Keep it on a bedside table for the jewellery you take off at night, on a dressing table for rings and studs, or on a desk for small treasures that would otherwise get lost. Wipe it with a dry or barely damp cloth, and keep it away from standing water so the wood and enamel stay in good order.

For a Cancer birthday, a new home, or someone who simply loves the zodiac, a box like this is a personal, practical present. The design says whose it is before the lid is even lifted.