Description: 
WB479: Early 19th Century brass bound solid flame mahogany triple opening writing box with unusual features such as visible dovetail construction. It opens up to a green baize writing surface a high back with central oval framed mirror, spaces for storing papers, compartments for pens, inkwell and pounce pot, and other writing accessories. There is a nest of secret drawers under the pen tray.Circa 1830.
Origin: UK

Circa: 1830

Materials:

Size: 50 cm by 29.5 cm by 16 cm: 19.7  inches by 11.6  inches by 6.3  inches.

Condition: the wood and patina are fantastic See images and  comments below:

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The box opens first  to  a flat polished writing surface and a high back with central oval  framed mirror. The compartments for pens and inkwells is accessible at this stage.

The back has hinge supports which are more usual in boxes made in France.

The box then opens up to a green baize writing surface, a high back with central oval  framed mirror

The mirror although often a feature in dressing boxes is not usual in a writing box. .I can only  speculate the possibilities.  Was the owner a nervous spy who wanted to see behind them when writing? Or did they write a diary in mirror image like Leonardo Da Vinci. Did they just like looking at their own face for inspiration? Who knows!  

 The lock is a later 19th c replacement. There are marks in the wood  near it which indicate that at sometime someone forced it open. The asymmetrically shaped   escutcheon is unique! 

 Another unusual feature is that there are do side facings to the writing surfaces as is usual in London work at the time.

Detail of the back:  The oval  mirror is inset and bordered by a beading in white (maple) black (ebony) white. and framed with a veneer of mitered quarter sawn mahogany. 

 The stained black solid wood pen tray, which is usual for the period  has an unusual profile.

The mirror panel opens down. The joinery is not conventional. 

 There are two document drawers in the sides.

There are some signs of early repairs to the veneers

 There are a places for storing papers under the writing flaps as is usual.

 Under the accessory compartments there is a sprung panel. separated by a contrasting maple divider.   

The lower panel is sprung and conceals secret drawers. The release mechanism is much the same as that  I have seen on many London made boxes of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries.

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 The blown inkwell. and pounce pot are period.  

 The central brass plate is similar to the lock escutcheon and again set  asymmetrically.      

The flame of the solid mahogany top is beautifully patinated with a rich and interesting colour.   

 

 One of the most unusual features is the construction of the box with evenly placed and proportioned dovetail. In London work  of the time it was usual to use full blind dovetails. The slight differences in the widths of the dovetails indicate hand work with a saw and chisel.   

 Some Scottish work makes a feature of displaying dovetail joints:

See: http://hygra.com/uk/tc/tc106/

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