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Brass bound Georgian  Solid Mahogany Triple Opening Writing Box circa 1810.

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Description:
Ref: 860WB   http://hygra.com/box/860WB 

Brass bound and accented solid mahogany triple opening writing box in the military style with countersunk carrying handles; the fitted compartmentalized interior with places for pens and papers, a gold embossed red morocco leather document wallet in the lid, a replacement green leather writing surface, secret drawers behind a sprung panel beneath the pen tray. The box retains two original screw top inkwells.

Origin: UK ;  Circa: 1810 ; Materials: Mahogany, brass.

Size: 35 cm wide by 24.8 cm by 12.5 cm:   13.8 inches wide by   9.8 inches by  4'9  inches.

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

Keywords: Hygra.com, Antique box,  dovetail construction, writing box, triple opening, military style, campaign, writing box, secret drawers,  

Request current  list of available sewing boxes with prices.
Request current  list of available writing boxes with prices.

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Request current  list of available tea caddies with prices.

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The box with the writing surface folded up. The ink stains bear witness to early pencraft accidents!

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The embossed red Morocco leather on the back is original.
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The top flap opens to a document envelope. The back retains tapes for holding notes.

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The embossed green leather writing surface is a replacement.

 

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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.

 

 

The panel concealing the secret drawers is released by pressing  the side  wall in front. 

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

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The drawers have turned bone pulls.

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Part closed.

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The screw top inkwells have cut facetted shoulders and are period with the box. 

The bottles are blown in a heated mold.

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The screw top inkwells have leather washers.

 

The box is constructed with double blind dovetail joins. 

Dovetail joints:

The dovetail joint is one of the wonders of woodwork. In the full blind none of the careful work is visible. If the joint is simply mitered it will not survive atmospheric change. A mitered joint is end grain to end grain. The glue soaks in, becomes dry and brittle and falls apart. 

The dovetail joint enables side grain to be glued to side grain. These joints would hold together without glue!

It is the true proof of these dovetail joints made by craftsmen 200 years ago that their joints are as they made them.

This image is courtesy of 

This image is courtesy of  Fine Woodworking Techniques 1978 Taunton Press inc. ISBN: 0918804027

You can order the  Fine Woodworking Techniques from Amazon  by clicking one of the links below:

 

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Extract: Choosing and Making the right joints by Tage Frid.

Fine Woodworking Techniques 1978 Taunton Press inc. ISBN: 0918804027

 

 

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The box has countersunk carrying handles.

This form of the handle was only used for a short time at the end of the 18th Cent. and the beginning of the 19th.

The main block of brass will have been cast. The handle too is cast. 

It will have been brought to final slightly crooked shape by filing.

The wood worker who had to fit it with this degree of accuracy will have to have spent a lot of time.

Later boxes have a more full form and are more manufactured.

The handle seems to be screwed to the box with brass screws which have been ground flat to the surface.

Earlier boxes have steel screws! 

 

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The brass is held in place by brass pins which have been ground flat with the surface. They are just visible. 

 

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The solid mahogany top is iconic with its spear shaped accents.

The escutcheon and the corner pieces will have been cast and filed to shape.

The wood has been routed out for the brass with incredible accuracy.

 

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Icoic.

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All text and images and linked images are © 1999-2015 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

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