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Description:
Ref: 668WB http://www.hygra.com/box/668WB
An Irish Brass bound solid mahogany triple opening writing box of dovetail construction. It is in the military  style with brass strapping and corners, countersunk carrying handles. It is labeled  by Austen of Dublin: the fitted compartmentalized  interior has an blind embossed green leather document wallet in the lid.   There are secret drawers behind a sprung panel. The release mechanism is all in wood.   The velvet writing surface is a replacement.  The box has a working lock with key.  The choice of woods are different to those used in London boxes of the time.  Dublin Circa 1830.

Origin: Dublin Ireland ;  Circa: 1830 ; Materials:  Mahogany brass, ash and pine.

Size: 45.2 cm wide by 27.4 cm by 15.5 cm:  17.8  inches wide by  10.8 inches by 7  inches.

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

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There is a document wallet in the lid. It is subtly blind embossed; that is no gold is used. Gold embossing in the Dublin of that time would have been opulent display: too flash.

This box is in such amazing condition.

The box opens down to an embossed velvet (replacement) writing surface.

The upper part of the box provides some privacy if writing with someone facing. The upper flap is an early simple form.

The box has the usual compartments for inkwells and  a curved pen tray.

There is a large place for storage of paper

There is a sprung panel concealing secret drawers.

GEO. AUSTIN
CABINET MAKER
7 St Andrew St.
One door from Exchequer St.
DUBLIN.

Manufacturer of portable writing
desks dressing cases. work boxes &etc.
Military Canteens & Plate Chests

 George Austin  moved to  the St Andrew Street  Premises in1827 

Over the years I have handled several boxes by him.   He is listed in the Jury Lists For the City of Dublin 1844 as the "freeholder" of this premises.

He was one of the Exhibiters at the International Exhibition in Kensington of 1862.

The panel concealing the secret drawers is released by squeezing the side in front between thumb and fingers.  

As pressure is applied the sprung panel is released. The mechanism is made entirely of wood. 

This is unlike any English writing slope panel I have seen.

It is pine, of very straight grain. The cut of wood  is quarter

The panel and the flaps are made of straight grained pine. This would be unusual in an English made box of the period.

The freshness of the wood is exceptional.

The secret drawers are of dovetail construction.

In this image the secret drawer panel is part open.

The wood has no finish other than a little wax.

The wood on the side looks like ash. 

Pine would be too soft for this purpose. The end-grain of the pine would be resilient to wear.

An unusual feature is the brass pin in the facing. It would have helped  to prevent the box warping .

  

Reference: wb 104

Description:
An Early 19th C solid Mahogany writing box with elaborate and unusual secret compartments screw-down mechanism and historical asociations.

Origin: English/Irish

Circa:1810

Materials: Mahogany Brass

Size: 51 cm by 30 cm by 20.5 cm: 20.1 inches by 11.8 inches by 8.1 inches.

 

 

This  is another Irish box of the same period.

The top has a brass plate inscribed "Colonel L'Estrange K.C.M"

The L'Estranges are an old established Anglo-Irish family. They first came to Ireland with Earl Strongbow in A.D. 1149 and married the daughter of the last king of Ireland Rory O'Connor.

The flaps are the usual construction of the period having a tongue and groove joint and mahogany facings. 

The use of pine would not be usual in a London made box.

There is a  further compartment for storing papers beneath the other flap.

The flap is made of six pieces of wood: three pieces of pine glued together with tongue and groove faced with mitered mahogany.

The box is made with solid mahogany joined with   double blind dovetails.

The carpentry is clear. This is a double blind sometimes called a "full blind" dovetail joint.

The joint is visually very different to a simple miter. A miter joint which glues end grain wood to end grain wood is much weaker and would not have survived the rigors of travel or 200 years.

See: http://www.hygra.com/
uk/n11/WB528/index.htm#pic03 

The screw-top  inkwells are modern replacements. They are well made in the traditional style with cut facets to the shoulders.

The box has a working lock with key.

A

 The side carrying handles are held in place with two counter-sunk iron screws 

The top is made from a wonderful piece of flame mahogany.

There has been little shrinkage in the wood. It must have been so dry when the box was made.

The crack is along the grain supported by  the Hessian..