20th Century Victorian Cast Iron Fire Resistant Strong Box, Milner c.1850

Antique 20th Century South Asian (Cambodian) solid silver box. Decorated throughout with fish, frogs and aquatic flowers in a detailed, pierced design. Stamped to the base with a T.9...

Antique 20th Century Edwardian solid silver bridge gaming box, the plain silver box applied to the lid with a stylised Bridge writing. Inside is lined with wood, creating separate co...

A charming antique English iron Milner's strong box painted green with John Layton inscription. Manufacturer label is intact on the interior. With the inscribed name and numbering la...

An extremely rare pair of Regency cast-iron sarcophagus shaped strong boxes. Regency, circa 1820 Painted to simulate palisander wood and with parcel-gilt, the cavetto-moulded hinged lids cast with flower sprays above foliate-cast bands over front panels relieved with river gods within canted corners cast with standing muses, the sides with lion mask and ring handles over leafy aprons on massive lion’s paw feet; the Brahmah type lock stamped “T. Davis from London” and impressed with the Royal Crown. These extraordinary pieces are modelled on Regency wine coolers. The forms are classic Greco-Roman revival with the boat-hook handles, mythic figures and the overall sarcophagus pattern. You would struggle to find one let alone a pair. Good items for any collection. Research on going into these strong boxes but we have found possible information on the lock stamped Davis….(historyoflocks ) The relationship of King George III and George Davis of Windsor, who was locksmith in ordinary to His Majesty. Davis, in 1799, invented and patented a unique style of lock, which was also beautifully engraved with a warning not to make duplicate keys. Sensitive government secrets always demanded, then as today, locks that were state of the art. Davis locks ended up on government dispatch boxes...