Brass Decorative Boxes

A late Victorian fine crocodile skin travel luggage by Drew & Sons London, circa 1890s. In dark green colour with brassed lock and catches. Opening up to reveal matching green lined interior in watered silk, with side pockets for various hallmarked silver cut glass jars, leather bound accessories and other articles nécessaires. Accompanying accessories includes 5 cut glass jars of various sizes with hallmarked silver lids, 1 set of mini hair curling tongs with butane burner stove and a lighter box, 1 ink box with accompanying quilted pens, Mother of pearl trimmed manicure set...

We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare 1867 sterling silver hallmarked Asprey 166 Bond Street London Coromandel wood vanity dressing table box A very rare and high quality collectable piece, the box is solid Coromandel wood with brass edges, it’s a lovely dark timber with a similar grain to Rosewood. The suite inside is all sterling silver, fully hallmarked T.W for Thomas Whitehouse, the Queens head for Queen Victoria, the sideways facing Lion for Sterling silver, the Panther head for London and the date letter M for 1867 The box has Braham locks which were of such high quality Gillows of Lancaster an London used them on their finest furniture, at the back of the base section you have a hand engraved plaque which reads Asprey Maker 166 Bond Street London, in the middle of this plaque is a depression switch, if you press it a hidden drawer pops out of the bottom. The listing includes the original key The mirror pulls forward to reveal a hidden document folio...

Originally used as a safe or strong-box, this antique iron trunk remains a trustworthy vault for treasured possessions. Made in 19th century France,...

We absolutely love this decorative trunk from England! Bound in perfectly worn dark leather and adorned with brass studs in swirling patterns. The lock is in working condition and in...

This is a stunning antique Victorian Coromandel gentleman's travelling vanity case with fitted interior, circa 1865 in date. This rectagular shaped traveling case is made of rare coromandel wood and features a blank brass plaque. The interior is well fitted with Sheffield silver plate mounted jars, bottles and shaving tools, displayed on fitted blue velvet. The secret button at the front of the case opens a sprung secret drawer below, for your jewellery. The underside of the lid has a velvet backed mirror and a compartment for hiding your letters. Complete with working Bramah lock and original key. It is a beautiful piece which will look stunning on your dressing table. Condition: In really excellent condition. Please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 9 x Width 26 x Depth 19 Dimensions in inches: Height 3 inches x Width 10 inches x Depth 7 inches Calamander wood or Coromandel wood is a valuable wood from India, Sri Lanka and South East Asia. It is of a hazel-brown color, with black stripes (or the other way about), very heavy and hard. It is also known as Macassar Ebony or variegated ebony and is closely related to genuine ebony, but is obtained from different species in the same genus; one of these is Diospyros quaesita Thwaites, from Sri Lanka. The name Calamander comes from the local sinhalese name, 'kalu-medhiriya', which means dark chamber; referring to the characteristic ebony black wood. Coromandel wood has been logged to extinction over the last 2 to 3 hundred years and is no longer available for new work in any quantity. Furniture in coromandel is so expensive and so well looked after that even recycling it is an unlikely source. A substitute, Macassar Ebony, has similar characteristics and to the untrained eye is nearly the same but it lacks the depth of colour seen in genuine Coromandel. Travelling cases became very popular towards the end of the 18th century. They were manufactured specifically to accompany upper class gentleman during travel. Dressing cases were originally rather utilitarian but they spoke volumes about their owners’s wealth and place in society, as at that time, traveling was only done by the elite. Gentleman’s dressing cases would contain bottles and jars for colognes, aftershaves and creams as well as essential shaving and manicure tools. As these boxes became more popular, many further traveling item options were offered for inclusion. By the early Victorian era, ladies also began to travel and suddenly their requirements were anything but utilitarian! Ladies dressing cases could feature a wide range of decorative bottles and jars as well as a vast array of beautifcation tools, all designed with pure luxury in mind. The exterior of the box became almost as important as the interior and these boxes started being veneered with beautiful exotic woods from all over the world. As demand for gentleman’s boxes lessened, the dressing case started to also become known by the more feminine term ‘vanity box’. These boxes, with their excessive price tags, were now considered as true works of art and beauty in themselves, and were often bought as status symbols rather than actual traveling companions. Some of the finest examples of travelling cases made from exotic wood with gold and silver fittings come from: Walter Thornhill, Betjamann & Sons and Jenner...

ANTIQUE CAMPAIGN DECANTER BOX Made from coromandel with brass strap work fittings and flush handles typical of campaign furniture of the time. A ...

A 19th century Chinese chinoiserie gilt painted box. Lacquer work box of very high quality. Beautifully painted.  

A superb antique 19th century English coromandel and rosewood fitted travel vanity or dressing box, circa 1870. This fine box contains the original contents including silverplate lidded cut glass jars, sewing tools...

This is a magnificent antique brass bound coromandel Victorian Gothic Revival casket by Parkins and Gotto, 24 & 25 Oxford Street, London, circa 1860 in date. The rectangular box fe...

Very fine rosewood gentleman's toiletry box, English, ca. 1880

This is an antique Victorian Coromandel scent bottle box of domed form with elaborate decorative brass mounts with inset attractive Pietra Dura cabochons, circa 1860 in date. The domed lid reveals three cut glass bottles with stoppers. The box has a working lock with key. Provenance: The Dr. Lawrie Webster Collection of Boxes...

Business Card Case / Purse in leather with silver details, probably 1860s-1870s. The leather is decorated with elegant stripes. Monogram in silver with an "M" and inside with a small...