Doosje horend bij erepenning van het Staatsbedrijf der PTT, toegekend in 1942 aan Marinus W. Bos 1940 - 1942

Curator: What a curious, unassuming object. Editor: It appears to be a rather austere little wooden box, almost… monastic in its simplicity. The unadorned surface and somber tones certainly suggest a restrained aesthetic. Curator: Precisely. What we're looking at is the box that held an honorary medal presented by the Dutch postal service, the PTT, to Marinus W. Bos in 1942. Its full title is, "Doosje horend bij erepenning van het Staatsbedrijf der PTT, toegekend in 1942 aan Marinus W. Bos." The box dates between 1940 and 1942. Editor: Knowing it held a medal from that period adds a layer of gravity. The circles carved into the top surface, the circular form, remind me of coins, seals of authority and power. A container concealing and safeguarding… what precisely, I wonder, did it symbolize to the recipient, within that historical context? Curator: It's suggestive of civic duty, certainly. Postal workers in wartime—keepers of connection when physical movement was restricted and risky. These were important national symbols, then. That someone crafted this box with such apparent care from wood, lends the container both substance and solemnity. Editor: Indeed, this use of unvarnished wood contrasts starkly with what one might expect for a commemorative piece, offering instead a compelling and raw visual appeal that evokes notions of authenticity. But there's something else – it resembles an eye, shut tight; hiding memories… maybe painful ones. Curator: A beautiful observation! That’s what is wonderful about objects like this. What may have appeared like a fairly plain piece can start to carry unexpected meaning and feeling once we put it in dialogue with its history. The award itself would probably tell us something about public service; the box itself represents how important everyday work can become during troubling times. Editor: Yes, an almost unbearable quiet, echoing now. It is not merely a box, but a container of hidden histories made powerfully present to us today through its deliberate formal choices and its symbolism.