Description:
JB316: Brass edged flame mahogany fully fitted dressing box with inset brass handles and Bramah lock opening to a leather covered lift out tray with cut glass bottles with hallmarked silver tops (1827-9) a document wallet in the lid. Circa 1830.  

Origin: UK

Circa: 1830

Size:  31cm wide by 21.3 cm by 14 cm: 12.2 inches wide by  8.4 inches by  5.5 inches.

Condition:

The box opens to a leather covered lift out tray with cut glass bottles with hallmarked silver tops (1827-9)      
There is a  document wallet in the lid. 

These boxes were used by travelers to hold the accessories for personal grooming when making visits.  The French called this type of box  "NÉCESSAIRE DE VOYAGE", which conveys the essential nature of the contents for the cultured and wealthy traveler.  

Many people display and use the silver toped bottles on the dressing table and use the box for keeping  jewelry.

 Detail of the document wallet in the lid

The working lock is Bramah. 

The  patented Brahma lock. 

To engage the key is pushed into the lock. The sprung  levers of the lock are brought to the right positions by grooves cut in the barrel of the key rather than the flag.  

see: http://hygra.com/locks/Bramah/ 

 Some of the silver is finely engraved and pierced. 

 

One of the flat bottles has a  screw mechanism to make it more secure and avoid spillage. This may have been used for ink.

Most of the silver is marked "A.D" and has the London marks for 1827-8 (date letter "m". one pieces is marked "n"  for the following year.

 The silver is marked with the Maker's/Sponcer's mark "A.D" which belonged to Archibald Douglas who was entered into the London Assay in 1826 silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Makers/London-A.html  

Some boxes of a slightly later style with rosewood veneers rather than mahogany have an escutcheon which reads Tompsons patent: see http://www.hygra.com/wb/wbdg12.htm  

I have yet to find out if all the Tompsons are one and the same; but it seems posible.

There is a "Tompson, William, Patent Lock Mkr, Key Stamper, Bull St." in the Birmingham directory for 1818.

See also: hygra.com/uk/wb/wb101/index.htm 

 

 The bottles are all hand blown. The square shapes are achieved by blowing within a form. They are then further shaped by cutting. The perfume bottles have facets cut into the shoulders. 

 Although the cut round bottle has an "o" mark for 1829-30 it has a maker's mark "GR". This is the mark of George Reid who is  recorded 1823-35.

see: silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Makers/London-G.html#GR 

The working lock is Bramah.  It is stamped with the symbol of a crown and the word "PATENT"

The  patented Bramah lock. 

To engage the key is pushed into the lock. The sprung  levers of the lock are brought to the right positions by grooves cut in the barrel of the key rather than the flag.  

see: http://hygra.com/locks/Bramah/ 

 There is a further smaller lift out tray with a mother of pearl handled penknife and tools for manicure. 

 The beautiful flame figured mahogany is used on all sides. The brass edging is fixed by brass pins which are driven in at an angle. The brass is both decorative and protective.