Description:
Early 19th century Rosewood veneered  box with brass countersunk handles and subtle  accents. This box typifies the understated quality of the period. The interior is lined in velvet and leather in a color combination which is again typical of the time. The bottles have silver plated tops. It bears the Edwards label.

Origin: UK, London

Circa: 1810.

Materials: Rosewood brass velvet and leather, cut glass and silver plate (Sheffield).

Size: 32.2cm wide by 23.8 cm by 13.8cm:  12.7 inches wide by  9.4 inches by  5.4inches.

Condition:  Good overall, well patenated, working lock and key, one of the bottles has a chipped collar (see below for detail) 

Inside there is a liftout tray covered in tan and blue tooled leather fitted with cut glass bottles with silver plate tops, a central tray with bone handled tools.

The tops of some of the compartments have pyramid tops, which is a reference to the  interest in classicism and Egypt in particular.

There is a document wallet in the lid The makers label is on the inside

sole-Inventor of the Patent Military 
Mounted Writing & shaving Cases

EDWARDS

21,King Street Bloomsbury Sqre.
Manufacturer,

To his Royal Highness the 
Duke of York

--&c, &c.--

Writing Desks, Dressing Cases
Lady's Work and Jewel Boxes
Pocket Books, &c, &c.
Old Desks, Dressing Cases repaired 
or exchanged for new;

Good allowance made to Merchants
Captains Shops &c.

NB. Cut Glass, Silver, &c.&c.
-Fine Cutlery-

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). The 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 Edwards boxes are of impeccable quality.

See: pages  254, 294 Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society, 1700--1880 
Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, ISBN: 0764316885.
For an example of an Edwards sewing box see: hygra.com/uk/sb/sb104/ 

 The Brass inlay in the top is an abstraction of the Greek key patern.

The central plate in the top is engraved. "Mrs Annesley".