Description:
An elegant mid 19th Century box which is as much jewel as jewelry box; it has  brass edged  panels of ebony inlayed with silver depicting floral designs. and recording mid 19th Century dates

The box has a working Bramah type lock and key.  The lock has been used in an unusually French way. I don't know if the lock was made by Bramah.

Origin:  France

Condition: Very good overall the velvet covered liftout tray is replacement.  

 

 

The inlay is unusual in that it is in silver. It is finely chased and precisely formed, as if it is a piece of jewelry. 

Circa: 1850

Materials: ebony silver and brass

Size: 10.4” x 7.2”, 4.7” tall. 26.5cm x 18.3cm, 12cm tall.

A box which typifies the best of 19th century work. It is veneered in thick ebony and it is inlaid in floral designs. Although symmetrically arranged and superficially similar, when examined the plants differ in each corner, the most striking being the rose and honeysuckle. The interpretation of the flora is aiming at realism, albeit romantically stylized. There are five different dates subtly engraved in different parts of the design ranging from 1845-1859. The central scrolling pattern forms initials. The dates are perhaps significant to the family who owned it. Birthdays? The lock and hinge are long and of exceptional quality.

The box has a working Bramah type lock and key.  The lock has been used in an unusually French way. I don't know if the lock was made by Bramah or is a French copy. The mechanism  The  three tennons are round and spread along the lock plate which is the whole length of the front of the box.

The lock is double action. when the box is closed it catches the tennons. It can be opened simply by pressing the lock. When the key is turned  a bar moves through all the tennons. I think I had better photograph this!

The interpretation of the flora is aiming at realism, albeit romantically stylized. 

The central scrolling pattern forms initials. But  what are they; and what do they represent. they can be the initials of partners in marriage...  The family names or personal names. The inlay is incredible: separate chased  pieces of  of silver are inlaid into ebony. The ebony has to be incised to receive the silver and the whole has to be finished to a high level. 

 Tthe ebony has a high level shellac finish.

The whole box is edged with brass secured with both adhesive and drilled brass pins.

The brass is for both protection and appearance. 

 There are five different dates subtly engraved in different parts of the design ranging from 1845-1859.

 There are five different dates subtly engraved in different parts of the design ranging from 1845-1859. "6  AOUT 1846.

 There are five different dates subtly engraved in different parts of the design ranging from 1845-1859. 

Here: "3 Mai 1845", "18 JANVIER 1848" "22 MARS 1852", "31 JANVIER 1859".

 

The central scrolling pattern forms initials. But  what are they; and what do they represent. they can be the initials of partners in marriage.. The family names or personal names. 

The inlay is incredible  and made up of separate chased  pieces of  of silver  inlaid into ebony. The ebony has to be incised to receive the silver and the whole has to be finished to a high level.

 the velvet covered liftout tray is replacement.  The box is lined with ebony.

The box has a working Bramah type lock and key.  The lock has been used in an unusually French way. I don't know if the lock was made by Bramah or is a French copy. The mechanism is very similar to English made Bramah locks of the time.  The  three tennons are round and spread along the lock plate which is the whole length of the front of the box. This was a French practice see:  A fine Paris NÉCESSAIRE DE VOYAGE tightly packed with tools and accessories for personal grooming circa 1820

The lock is double action. when the box is closed it catches the tennons. It can be opened simply by pressing the lock. When the key is turned  a bar moves through all the tennons. I think I had better photograph this!