Sewing box Index

jewelry-boxes

tea caddies

contents

Description:
Ref: JB620 http://hygra.com/uk/n11/JB620 
A very finely figured rosewood box with  brass inlay by D Edwards, with working Bramah lock. The inside is compartmentalized and lined in silk and leather. The box has two  lift out trays with velvet and leather 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 blotting pad.  The box has a patented by Edwards hinge which is reminiscent of a hinge for snuff boxes invented by James Sandy.   the lift out  blotting pad is embossed with gold lettering "D. EDWARDS - MANUFACTURER TO HER MAJESTY - 21 KING STREET - BLOOMSBURY - LONDON"

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


Size: 38cm wide by 22.5 cm by 14.7 cm:  15  inches wide by   9 inches by 5.8   inches.

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

Request current  list of available sewing boxes with prices.
Request current  list of available writing boxes with prices.
Request current  list of available jewelry boxes with prices.
Request current  list of available tea caddies with prices.

boxes@hygra.com

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

The lock plate is faintly marked  J.  Bramah.

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 of this box is of interest. In another Edwards box of the same period  the hinge is stamped. ( http://www.hygra.com/uk/n11/JB618)

the original design  results from James's Sandy's grasp of both the disciplines of woodwork and clock making, which enabled him to develop a process for cutting the hinges with impeccable precision.

James lived in Alyth, Perthshire in the East side of Scotland. News of his new hinge must have traveled quite fast to Kincardineshire, especially to Laurencekirk, which was only twenty miles North East of Alyth and where another highly skilled craftsman, Charles Stiven, lived and worked.

See: http://www.hygra.com/uk/tc/tc106/index.htm

"D. EDWARDS - MANUFACTURER TO HER MAGI STY - 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  wallet is decorated with both gold and blind embossing. 

 Inside the box has two lift out trays with velvet and leather linings.

The box has richly figured  rosewood and subtly inlaid to the top and front with  brass lines, and edged with a rounded solid bead of  rosewood.

 The re is a brass plate inlaid into the  centre of the top. It has been engraved with initials. I am not sure which!