Description:
JB317: A  very fine and rare brass bound figured rosewood fully fitted traveling/dressing box by D Edwards, with working Bramah lock and countersunk carrying handles, the inside lined in velvet and gold embossed  leather and containing hallmarked silver toped cut lead crystal bottles and jars by Archibald Douglas and having a document wallet and liftout mirror in the lid. Circa 1829.  

Origin: UK London by D Edwards 

Circa: 1829.

Size: 34.5cm wide by 25 cm by 16.5 cm:  13.6 inches wide by  9.8 inches by  6.5 inches.

Condition: Good overall working lock and key. Some minor chipping to the glass.

The inside is lined in velvet and gold embossed  leather and contains hallmarked silver toped cut lead crystal bottles and jars by Archibald Douglas and having a document wallet and liftout mirror 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/ 

The glass, or rather glass lead mixture in this box is remarkable. The bottles are hand blown within a form mold. It is then annealed  so as does not crack.  It is then cut by hand using a cutting wheel and finally polished. 

The glass is e probably Irish. The tax on the weight of materials used in glass manufacturing in England and Scotland did not apply in Ireland until 1825. This resulted in the setting up of glassworks in various port towns in Ireland such as Waterford and Cork (1783). See: Irish Crystal
by Pat Friend

For more information on the manufacturing process see: www.answers.com/topic/lead-crystal-1  

 Every side of this glass including the underside of the stoppered scent bottle is deeply cut. The collar has a screw cut into the glass for the silver top.  

 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   

 The hallmark is that for London 1829-30 - George IV.

Makers mark Kings head -lion passant- date letter "o" - leopards head for London. 

A

 Detail: several of the silver lids are both pierced and engraved. The silver is particularly thick to allow for the piercing. 

 All the silver has the initial "A" engraved. 

 The box has two liftout trays. The upper has divisions for holding the silver topped jars and inkwells.

 The compartment under the trays is part lined in faded blue silk. 

 Under the bottles there is a secret compartment, revealed by sliding up the leather covered side and containing  two drawers which have the same blue silk to the bottom.

 The secret drawers are covered in red leather and have blue silk to the bottoms.

The mitered rosewood facings have a brass inlay line. The linings of the lid are decorated with gold embossing depicting a vibrant stylized floral motif. 

 Detail of the further inner tray containing matched scissors, miniature  corkscrew, bodkin,  tweezers, mother of pearl handled penknife, nail file,   and another tweezers.

"D. EDWARDS - MANUFACTURER TO HIS MAGI STY - 21 KING STREET  -  BLOOMSBURY - LONDON

We have recorded and pictured several Edwards boxes  in our book. 

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society, 1700--1880 
Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, ISBN: 0764316885

"EDWARDS: 21 King St. Holborn, also Bloomsbury , and for one year, 1813-14 at 84 St. James Str. 1813-1848d. A formidable maker of luxury boxes. David Edwards, and Thomas Edwards (1832-39). Family connection established through bills. Made for the Royal family. Used kingwood and rosewood extensively. Also mahogany for what he claimed to be 'patent travelling cases'. Writing boxes and dressing boxes mostly in Regency styles. All of impeccable quality.

"Item 1. Mahogany strong box with brass corners, straps, and flat side handles. Early 19th century.

"Item 2. (St. James address) Rosewood man's dressing box. Edged in thick square brass. Sunk in handles. Interior lined in red leather.

"Item 3. Similar to 2, from Bloomsbury address.

"Item 4. Rosewood man's dressing box. Brass surround and sunk in handles. Interior with gold embossed blue leather lining, and silver topped fittings dated 1835.

"Item 5. Rosewood lady's dressing box with brass stringing and fleur-de-lis decoration. Silver tops on heavy cut glass bottles dated 1829. Gold leather embossed interior. Full tray of silver topped jars lifts out to expose second tray fitted with scissors, files, hooks, and other accessories.

"Item 6. See illustration in the chapter on dressing boxes. The quality of the wood and brass work is very typical of much of this firm's work. This is rather more subtle than most of their work, and most probably an early example. (Chapter 20/15)

"Item 7. Fitted sewing box (Chapter 19/19).

"Item 8. Writing box (Chapter 22/35)."

 Detail: the document wallet is decorated  with  with both gold  and blind embossing. The tooling is particularly fine.   

 The brass plate in the center of the top is as the silver engraved with the initial A.

The brass edge binding is fixed by having brass pins which are then ground flat with the brass surface.

The box contains two silver mounted traveling inkwells with hinged screw closing tops. Both have the makers mark for Alfred Douglas.

 Detail of the cutting of one of the perfume bottles; the faceted hobnail cutting continues to the underside.