Description:
JB318: A very fine fully fitted figured coromandel dressing box by the Pittway Brothers  with engraved and gilded Bramah lock, stop hinges and accents and having a sprung drawer fitted for jewelry. Inside the box is fully fitted lined with leather and velvet and retains its cut crystal bottles and jars with hallmarked silver tops decorated with chassed repoussé work and engine turning. There is a lift out tray with further tray containing dressing accessories. There is a lift out reversible mirror and document wallet in the lid. Circa 1863.

Origin: UK,  London, Pittway Brothers Hatton Gdn.

Circa: 1863

Size: 32.3 cm wide by 23.5 cm by 19 cm:  12.7 inches wide by  9.3 inches by 7.5 inches.

Condition: Good overall, working lock and key some veneer cracking (see images) which does not effect the integrity structurally.

The figured coromandel is edged with contrasting rounded brass which both protects the edges and has decorative interest.

Inside the box is fully fitted lined with leather and velvet and retains its cut crystal bottles and jars with hallmarked silver tops decorated with chassed repoussé work and engine turning. There is a lift out tray with further tray containing dressing accessories.

The box has a lower sprung drawer fitted for jewelry. The drawer is released by pressing the plate in the back facing.

 The drawer is velvet lined and fitted for jewelry and has a supplementary embossed leather lid 

 The drawer is of dovetail construction. The cabinet markers markings are still visible. The drawer is as the box of mahogany construction and veneered with thick saw-cut veneers of highly figured coromandel. Coromandel is a figured form of ebony.

 The elaborately engraved stop hinges are engraved and gilded. The engraved screw heads are aligned. 

 The facings have inlaid gilt brass corner plates. These are decorated with chassed foliate motifs. Even the screw heads have engraving and the slots are aligned.

The box contains cut lead crystal cosmetic jars and scent bottles with hallmarked silver tops.

The glass lead crystal is hand blown before being cut with facets. There is a radiating star motif cut into the bases.

The silver tops of the boxes have been profusely decorated with engine turning framed with a chased Repoussé border depicting a flowing stylized foliate motif. A central cartouche is decorated with an engraved "E".

The purpose of engine turning   is to create a  surface which   is  decorative and tactile.

David Pledge, a modern practitioner, who has published a resource on the web writes:  

 "Engine Turning, in French: "guilloché", is really a branch of what the English call Ornamental or Complex Turning. It is a process in which a (generally) metal work piece is moved mechanically against a fixed tool to cut a series of uniformly defined lines. It is rather like engraving with a ruler, or technical drawing on metal, though it does not look like technical drawing, rather a decorative surface which reflects light in an interesting way and has a tactile value as well."

David Pledge has published "The Illustrated Engine Turning Reference™" which he describes as:

"AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS, USERS AND PRACTITIONERS"
 
"Here you will find everything you ever wanted to know about
the Engine Turning Design Medium.
This is the definitive reference work on engine turning. As an On Line Live resource it is continuously being updated. We invite you to contribute to this resource with the intention of making it the sum of all knowledge on the subject."

For more information on the process of engine turning see David Pledge's very informative web resource :

www.pledge.co.uk/pledge_and_aldworth/ref/refconts.htm

Makers mark, Queen's head, lion passent, date letter "h" and leopard's head for London.

The maker's/sponcer's  mark is

"IP over WP"

Pittway Brothers (John Pittway & William Pittway)

(entered May 1860)

I.P over W.P
Pittway Bros -John & William Pittway
London 1861 hallmark
Business of John Pittway and William Pittway at 4 Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, London as Pittway Brothers. The partnership was dissolved in 1861 and continued by William Tween and Frederick Purnell.

http://www.silvercollection.it/englishsilvermarksXI.html 

"John Pittway, London cabinet maker (1803-39). At 47 Baldwins Gds, 1803-11. In 1811 described as 'mahogany & inlaid case maker' In1803 insurance cover was £900 of which £800 was for utensils and stock. The corresponding figures for 1808 are £1000 and £600. No further references occur to this maker until 1839 when he was at 4 Kirby St., Hatton Gdn. as a cabinet maker and upholsterer. "  See: Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840

In 1835 John Pittway gave evidence against an employee he was accusing of embezzlement at the Old Bailey. 

" JOHN PITWAY . I am a cabinet-maker, and live in Kirby-street, Hatton-garden. The prisoner had been with me two years and a half—I gave orders for him to be sent for this money—it was his duty................"

See: Old Bailey proceedings

This is the entry  for London 1863-4 in English Goldsmiths and Their Marks by Sir Charles J. Jackson

"h" is the date for 1863-4 although some silver for 1863 was marked with the higher Britannia mark. much was hall marked with the more usual London markings denoting sterling silver. 

Chassed repoussé work  with a foliate motif, frames circular engine turning depicting a basket weave pattern.

 The plate of the Bramah lock is stamped "Bramah" and engraved with foliate forms and gilded. The box retains its original key which is also gilded. It is the attention to detail which makes this box special. 

The working lock is Made by 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/ 

 

There is a central lift out tray containing matched cut steel scissors and tools with mother of pearl handels, including penknife, nail-file (repaired), bodkin, corkscrew, bodkin, and boot-hook.

The figure of the coromandel is particular with contrasting tones of brown and black. 

 The brass edging also surrounds the base of the box which has further facings and a covering of velvet so as not to scratch surfaces on which the box is placed.