Hygra: Antique Regency brass edged mahogany writing box with secret drawers, by Thomas Lund

Description:
Ref: 672WB
http://www.hygra.com/box/672WB
Regency brass edged mahogany writing box with secret drawers, by Thomas Lund of Cornhill, a replacement leather writing surface and compartments for pens and stationery. Circa 1820
The box retains its associated molded glass inkwells (period).

Origin: UK, London, Thomas Lund. ; Circa 1820 : ; Materials: .

Size: 40.4 cm wide by 24.8 cm by 14.7 cm: 15.9 inches wide by 9.8 inches by 5.8 inches.

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

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The escutcheon in the center of the top is engraved with the initials "A B". I always find it hard to read these elaborately engraved initials

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The embossed writing surface is a replacement.

The box has a working lock and key.

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The box retains original molded 19th c inkwells.

There are compartments for paper under the writing surface.

The label is on the inside of the flap.

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The box has a paper label reading: "Bought at Thomas Lund's, Superior Manufactory, 56 & 57 Cornhill, London."

The entry for Thomas Lund in the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840 reads:

"Lund, Thomas, 56 and 57 Cornhill, London, portable desk manufacturer, cutler and dressing case maker (1819-39), In 1819 declared himself to be a 'cutler, manufacturer of portable desks, pens &quills, importer of filtering stones'. Two tortoise-shell tea caddies are known marked with this makers stamp. One with a domed rectangular lid and ivory feet is marked 'Lund, Maker, 57 Cornhill London' and the other an octagonal one, is stamped on the inside ivory rim 'LUND CORNHILL ST"

LUND Thomas, 56 and 57 Cornhill, London, produced work of high quality, straddling the period between the Regency and the Victorian period.

Boxes from Thomas Lund seem to have a special quality which has a refinement without over elaboration. The interiors of their boxes are meticulously finished, with the fabrics (when used) coordinated with flair. Everything opens and shuts well.

Below are listed some other boxes by Thomas Lund we have handled:

1. Quality writing box veneered in rosewood and inlaid with brass stringing. Thomas Lund. C. 1825.

2. Fine sewing box veneered in rosewood, brass stringing. Silk covered interior.Thomas.C.1825.

3. Dressing box veneered in coromandel with rounded brass surround and two thin lines of stringing. Side drawer for jewelry has silk cover. Interior fitted with velvet and gold tooled leather. Nicely engraved silver tops on the bottles by Francis Douglas, London 1841. Thomas. Another almost identical box with maker's name on brass plaque.

5. Coromandel veneered sewing box with fine inlay in brass and mother of pearl. Thomas.

6. Important Regency brass edged and inlaid writing box with double layered secret compartments and drawers
http://hygra.com/uk/wb2/wb429

http://hygra.com/uk/sb/SB121

Please click on image or link for detailed webpage.

ref SB121:
A rare fully fitted tortoiseshell sewing box of rectangular form and shaped top by Thos' Lund of Cornhill, having ivory facings, silvered hinges and lock, mother of pearl escutcheon and name plate engraved "Mrs. Brown". Inside there is a liftout tray with green and blue silk coverings and supplementary lids containing turned and carved mother of pearl spools (8) and other sewing tools. The inside the lid is covered in ruched blue silk framed with a smooth silk border and contains a document wallet in the lid. Circa 1820.

Accessing the Secrets

The secret drawers are concealed behind a sprung panel of solid mahogany.

It is released by taking out the inkwell and squeezing the wall of the box between the thumb and index finger.

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A

Detail of the back of the panel. once again the screws are lined up! The hole is to accommodate the pull handle of one of the secret drawers.

The box has three secret drawers they have ribbon pulls although they would have had turned bone or ebony pulls originally. The drawer on the right is a later replacement.

There are three small holes in the bottom. Someone in the past clearly kept the box screwed down to a table.

Whether this was because they were at sea or to avoid it wandering around the house or from the house I will never know.

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The original drawers are of dovetail construction whereas the replacement drawer is butt joined.

The panel to cover the drawers is first engaged at the left and then pushed home onto the catch. As with all Lund boxes it makes a satisfactory "clunk" as the catch engages.

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The box is of mahogany construction
The tooling used to create the embossing are period.

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As well as the brass binding. there are countersunk brass handles.

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The hesisan fixed to the bottom is original. this has been edged with later baize.

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All text and images and linked images are © 1999-2011 Antigone Clarke and Joseph O'Kelly. If you require any further information on permitted use, or a licence to republish any material, email us at copyright@hygra.com