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Description:
Ref: 853WB      http://hygra.com/box/853WB-Gillows 
Late 18th Century solid mahogany writing box of dovetail construction with gilded brass carrying handles and side drawer by Gillows of Lancaster .

The box opens to an original 18th c baize writing surface framed by mitered mahogany.

The joinery is interesting in that the miters of the box sides open to the corners. Inside the wood is cut to a double-blind dovetail joint. This allows little or no room for inaccuracy of work.

A black stained    oak banding has been put around the bottom of the box.

At sometime the lock was forced breaking the bolt. This has been repaired with silver solder which melts at a lower temperature to the brass from which the bolt has been cast and cut. The lock has two wards, and the newly invented lever to give security.   A lever tumbler lock is a type of lock that uses a set of levers to prevent the bolt from moving in the lock. In the simplest of these, lifting the tumbler above a certain height will allow the bolt to slide past.

Origin: UK by Gillows of Lancaster ;  Circa: 1790; Materials: Mahogany .

Size: 55.5 cm wide by 27.4 cm by 16 cm: 21.9  inches wide by 10.8  inches by  6.3 inches.

Condition: good overall; working lock and key: see notes; see images: this box has been used and is an early writing box. There are little repairs.

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This Page is a Draft.

Robert Gillow was the founder of Gillows and began cabinet making and finishing furniture from 1731 onwards after he had finished his apprenticeship as a joiner and cabinet maker. He actually became a Freeman of Lancaster in the year 1728 and went into business partnership with George Haresnape. He had two sons who joined him in his business Richard and Robert. These two sons expanded the business to London to where many of the wealthiest buyers lived and this is where the firm quickly got recognized to be one the best cabinet makers of their time.

Gillows chartered ships to import mahogany from the west indies Cuba and Jamaica 
The timber used was of such good quality as it was old slowly grown solid woods, which record the stories of their grotwths. 
These woods are now almost unobtaonable.

‘Gillows Lancaster’ stamp was seen from the 1780s up to around the 1850s/60s, when it was changes to ‘Gillow’.

See: http://antiquesworld.co.uk/gillows-of-lancaster-warring-gillows-furniture/ 

The box opens to a green baize writing surface . 

There are compartments for inkwells and pens.

Both the writing surfaces are hinged and have places for papers beneath.

There is a full length drawer secured in place by a brass pin through the facing.

The handles are secured by steel screws and retain gilding.

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Between the inkwell compartment and the pen-tray there is an unusual arrangement, which hides a secret place: 

Revealing a compartment. Secret for how long!

There is a full length drawer secured in place by a brass pin through the facing.

Semi blind dovetail join to the drawer corner.

The marking line is still there .

The dovetails are narrow and positioned for purpose

The joint is as tight today as it was 200 years ago.

All of the wood is quartered. It has been selected to avoid warps impairing the drawer's movement.

In pencil it is marked " A 4 ".

It looks like it was made yesterday!

 

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Dovetail joints:

The dovetail joint is one of the wonders of woodwork. In the full blind none of the careful work is visible. If the joint is simply mitered it will not survive atmospheric change. A mitered joint is end grain to end grain. The glue soaks in, becomes dry and brittle and falls apart. 

The dovetail joint enables side grain to be glued to side grain. These joints would hold together without glue!

It is the true proof of these dovetail joints made by craftsmen 200 years ago that their joints are as they made them.

This image is courtesy of  Fine Woodworking Techniques 1978 Taunton Press inc. ISBN: 0918804027

Extract: Choosing and Making the right joints by Tage Frid.

This image is courtesy of  Fine Woodworking Techniques 1978 Taunton Press inc. ISBN: 0918804027

You can order the  Fine Woodworking Techniques from Amazon  by clicking one of the links below:

A brass lever has to be brought to the correct height by the key before the bolt can be moved.

wards have been fitted to the back  plate requiring accommodating slots in the key.

  At sometime the lock was forced breaking the bolt. This has been repaired with silver solder which melts at a lower temperature to the brass from which the bolt has been cast and cut. T

he lock has two wards, and the newly invented lever to give security.  

 A lever tumbler lock is a type of lock that uses a set of levers to prevent the bolt from moving in the lock. In the simplest of these, lifting the tumbler above a certain height will allow the bolt to slide past.

A back plate has been welded (braised) to the top plate which is slightly thicker.

The plate has slots and holes cut for its tempered steel elements.

The file marks of the original locksmith are still there.

The bold mechanism was bent and missing  a little brass.

It looks as if it it is sand-cast and then filed to size and final shape. 

The hammered mark would be because the key was unable to move the bolt sufficiently.

 

It works! The lever is lifted high enough for the bolt to pass.

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