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Description:
Ref:  JB619 http://www.hygra.com/uk/n11/JB618 
A very fine figured rosewood box with subtitle brass inlay  by D Edwards, with working Bramah lock.  The inside is compartmentalized  and lined in silk and leather. The box has two replacement lift out trays with velvet linings.  There are two additional little leather covered drawers at the bottom of the box. The wonderful green silk is original.  There is a silk and leather document wallet  with a lift out self standing mirror in the lid.  Edwards' boxes always have quality with amazing attention to detail.

Origin: UK London by D Edwards ;  Circa 1839: ; Materials: .

Size: 31.8 cm wide by 22.9 cm by 14.9 cm:  12.5  inches wide by  9  inches by   5.9 inches.

Condition: good overall;  replacement trays working lock and key; see images

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The box has two  replacement lift out trays There is a document wallet in the lid.

"D. EDWARDS - MANUFACTURER TO HIS MAJESTY - 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)."

Edwards' boxes always have quality with amazing attention to detail. The document wallet is lined with silk.

See: http://hygra.com/uk/jb2/JB317/ 

 

 The lift out self standing mirror  The mirroring is original and deteriorated.

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

 There are two little leather covered drawers at the bottom of the box. The wonderful green silk is original.

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 hinge is reminiscent of  the Scottish hinge invented by James Sandy. It is stamped "Edwards VR patent.

 The highly figured rosewood is inlaid with brass lines and has an engraved brass cartouche in the center.

The cartouche is engrave d "E.C.Praed"

A Google search gives:

E.C. PRAED, ARTHUR CAMPBELL, 16, Talbot Square, W. 

as members of  "ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE "  

A few more searches brought me to  Mrs Cambell -Praed              in Australia.   

See: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?q=campbell+praed