'The box' (part 3)
As a young boy Cornell was an avid museum goier, so he probably saw old 'diorama' cabinet's from the 19th century. I think Cornell was aware of these traditions of the 'cabinet of wonders', the idea of religious confessional and the more recent 'shadow boxes' and 'Dioramas'. But was also heavyly influenced by more contemporary 'box' ideas. These influences are well documented. In his own journals Cornell writes about the inpiration of the 'shop window display' and the 'sailor's boxes'.

In an article referring to Cornell's journals of 4/1/43 we find:

"Original inspiration for Sailor's Boxes. Bank window 59th Street Exhibition of miscellaneous objects found in trunks of sailors (Seaman's home?) shells, toy snake, Whales teeth, beads,(exotic) a butterfly box primitively constructed passe partout with wallpaper glass broken paper cover". (CAWS.1991, p.99)

From the book 'Joseph Cornell's Theatre of the mind' (CAWS.1991) we find the other quotes from Cornell's journals relating to influence of 'The Shop Window display' and 'The Sailor's Box':

...Parisian store windows... collections of disparate objects, ". . . the final distilling where the subject is almost transcended or briefly caught sight of in a window."...Sailor's toy? star in a box as though found under a bridge...as though made up by sailors for their loved ones...on the long voyage home as they made scrimshaws...sailor's boxes' ...the star near the North pole by which sailors steer...because many languages spoken by visiting sailors from all over world... flotsam & jetsam... renewing acquaintance with surroundings... now took on a completely new dimension.

Another contemporary 'box' idea comes from the'Penny Arcade.' In describing these early machines Hauton (1999, p.61) states:

"...devices that offered miniture spectacles and short narratives for their viewers. Soon these coin operated cabinets, filled with spools and gears... known as 'Automatic Vaudeville' or 'Penny Dreadfulls,' ... ranged from mini-travelogues and newsreels to erotic entertainment with titles like 'French High Kicker' and 'Peeping Jimmie' ... Entranced by his experiences of and reading about such marvels, Cornell built objects that referred to these early illusions..."