A knotted chest is a small Frisian money chest. Most are made of silver and are rectangular, with a semicircular lid and stand on ball feet. The entire exterior of the chests was decorated, often referring to love or a well-known saying. The knotted chest is part of an engagement ritual.

The knotted box in the De Witte Zwaan collection displays the type of decoration that became very popular at the end of the seventeenth century: a depiction of AMOR surrounded by flowers. Here, among other things, tulips are included. The box and its donated contents served as a kind of dowry for the bride; they always remained the property of the woman; the man was not allowed to touch them. This money was often saved for emergencies, or as a nest egg.