Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15

19th Century British Tunbridge Ware Lap Desk

About the Item

Presenting an absolutely gorgeous and extremely unique and rare 19th Century British Tunbridge ware lap desk. This lap desk is unlike any of it’s kind we have seen before. From circa 1840-1860. Made of ebony with gorgeous marquetry inlay on all sides and classic Tunbridge ware micro-mosaic all around the border. The marquetry inlay appears to be various different woods, namely, maple, walnut and satinwood. What makes this box even more intriguing and of extreme desirability is the subject matter of the inlay and mosaic. Whist, Tunbridge Wells is located in England, this box has a very definite ‘Celtic’ feel to it ! The central marquetry has lizards and birds but the main character is a ‘fairy’. The mosaic border gives us an even greater hint as to the market this was made for , probably ‘Wales’, due to the mosaic dragons all along the border. The central marquetry is not mosaic inlay but solid marquetry veneers, which is quite unusual.
  • Similar to:
    Tunbridge Ware (Maker)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 3.5 in (8.89 cm)Width: 13.3 in (33.79 cm)Depth: 9.5 in (24.13 cm)
  • Style:
    High Victorian (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1840-1860
  • Condition:
    Repaired: Some minor losses and repairs. A visible crack on the front panel. Lid does not close properly. Still very good due to it’s rarity. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Good condition for it’s age and use. Some minor losses and repairs. A visible crack on the front panel. Lid does not close properly. Still very good due to it’s rarity.
  • Seller Location:
    Dallas, TX
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU3978115227041

More From This Seller

View All
19C Anglo Ceylonese Lap Desk of Museum Quality
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting an absolutely fantastic 19C Anglo Ceylonese lap desk of museum quality. We can safely say that this is one of the finest lap desks we hav...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Sri Lankan Anglo-Indian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Ebony, Sandalwood

19th Century Sterling Silver Snuffbox Birmingham 1848 by Rolason Bros
By Rolason Brothers
Located in Dallas, TX
Lovely little sterling silver snuffbox, fully hallmarked with gold plated interior. Lovely chasing on lid and sides, classic high Victorian repousse w...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Sterling Silver

Materials

Sterling Silver

19C English Tunbridgeware Tabletop Stationary Box, Micro Mosaic
By Tunbridge Ware
Located in Dallas, TX
Stunning little 19th century tabletop stationary box made of micro-mosaic. Made in Britain, circa 1870, in Tunbridge Wells, hence these type of works are called Tunbridgeware! ...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English High Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Burl, Boxwood, Ebony, Walnut

19th Century Anglo Ceylonese Specimen Wood Desk Companion Tray
Located in Dallas, TX
Another stunning 19th century Anglo-Ceylonese piece. Made circa 1880 in Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka) of Coromandel wood and specimen woods. This is a simply gorgeous and quality item!! Tray made of various compartments with various high quality specimen wood lids, all edged and banded in chevrons of bone, silver or pewter and ebony. The tray itself is made of expensive coromandel wood. There are two open sections on either side of the tray which have bone and hand-painted lac ends. The main tray sits onto a base made of coromandel wood with green baize lining. This tray could have a number of practical uses, for keeping stationary, watches, jewelry, or thinking outside of the box, holding you remote controls and candy!! We have a matching box also in our Inventory and for auction. ANGLO-INDIAN AND CEYLONESE BOXES: Anglo Indian boxes were made in India for the English residents from the early part of the 18th century. They were brought back or sent back to England usually by the people who had commissioned them. From the beginning of the nineteenth century they were imported more commercially, although not in any significant numbers until the middle decades. They were very highly valued, especially the early ones, to the extent that the designs were copied on late 19th and early 20th century tins. Anglo-indian Boxes normally consist of 3 main types:- (1) Most of the best and highest quality Anglo-Indian boxes in the 18th and 19th Centuries were made in Vizagapatam, India, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship in using ivory and tortoiseshell and lac decoration. These are referred to as ‘Vizagapatam Boxes...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Sri Lankan British Colonial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ebony, Wood

19th Century Samson Paris Porcelain Trinket Box
By Samson & Cie
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a gorgeous French 19th century Samson Paris Porcelain Trinket Box probably by Edme Samson. Marked on the base with “Made in France” and unmistakably in the style and manner of Samson. The lid features hand painted floral bouquets on an ivory porcelain background with gold edging, surrounded by a sky blue lid with gold web or crackling effect.. The lid is hinged and the lid and base are edged in floral gilt metal mounts with Fleur De Lis clasp. It sits on 4 gilt metal or ormolu feet. The sides are likewise hand decorated. This wonderful antique hand painted box is just bursting with History. Inspired by Edme Samson of Samson & Co., Paris. we believe (based upon the markings and natural aging) that it was made between 1880– 1890 in France and was meant to resemble an antique of a much earlier period. It is very similar to Sevres pieces with it’s color, decoration and design. Samson specialized in reproducing antiques from the 1600 and 1700s. One of his most interesting works was his Heraldic or Armorial pieces. With this medium sized box, he was not only copying the larger porcelain caskets or coffin boxes...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Ormolu

19C British Coromandel, Brass with Large Jasperware Medallions Book Slide
Located in Dallas, TX
PRESENTING A GORGEOUS, VERY HIGH QUALITY AND RARE 19C British Coromandel, Brass with Large Jasperware Medallions Book Slide. Probably made in England...
Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

You May Also Like

Fine Tunbridge Ware Writing Box / Lap Desk, Eridge Castle, circa 1870
Located in Bath, GB
A truly fine example of a Victorian Tunbridge Ware writing box or lap desk dating to circa 1870. The central section featuring Eridge Castle, East Sussex. The box comes complete with a working tasseled key, the lock in working order. The top portion lifts to reveal the fitted interior incorporating a pair of brass topped inkwells...
Category

Antique 1870s British Late Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Tunbridge Ware Correspondence Box by Edmund Nye 19th Century
By Edmund Nye Tunbridge Wells
Located in Cheltenham, GB
Mid 19th century Tunbridge ware stationery box by Edmund Nye, manufacturer. The dome-shaped top is inlaid with a specimen parquetry panel, crossbanded with boxwood and stringing and...
Category

Antique 19th Century English Georgian More Desk Accessories

Materials

Boxwood, Ash, Satinwood, Walnut

Victorian Rosewood Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy
By Tunbridge Ware
Located in Northampton, GB
Dome Topped Tea Caddy From our Tunbridge Ware collection, we are delighted to offer this Victorian Coromandel Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy. The Tea Ca...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English High Victorian Tea Caddies

Materials

Wood

English Lap Desk
Located in Stamford, CT
Beautiful Early 19th century rosewood lap desk. Made in England, circa 1830. Has brass corners and brown leather writing surface with gold tooling. Left side...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Inkwells

Materials

Rosewood

Tunbridge Ware Workbox c1850
By Tunbridge Ware
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Heading : Tunbridge ware work box Date : c1850 Period : Victoria Origin : Tunbridge Wells, Kent . Almost certainly early Edmund Nye or George Burrows. Decoration : Central stylised f...
Category

Antique 1850s British Victorian Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Wood

Tunbridge Ware Sewing Box c1840
By Tunbridge Ware
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Heading : Tunbridge ware sewing box Date : c1840 Period : Victoria Origin : Tunbridge Wells, Kent Decoration : Central perspective cube patte...
Category

Antique 1840s British Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Recently Viewed

View All