Antique Victorian Coromandel Gentleman's Vanity Case Box, 19th Century

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...

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This is a wonderful antique silver plated Victorian salver bearing the makers mark of William Hutton & Sons, and dating from Circa 1860. It has beautiful engraved floral and foliate decoration in the Neo-classical style and is raised on elegant scrolled feet. This salver is of fabulous quality and will add an Imperial look to your surroundings. Condition: In excellent condition with no dings, dents or signs of repair. Please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 4 x Width 32 x Depth 32 Dimensions in inches: Height 2 inches x Width 1 foot, 1 inch x Depth 1 foot, 1 inch William Hutton & Sons - the firm was established in Birmingham by William Hutton in 1800 and transferred in Sheffield in 1832 where the firm was active as manufacturing silversmiths and platers at 27 High Street (140-146 West Street from 1886). After his death the business was continued under the same style by the founder's son William Carr Hutton until 1864, when the name was changed to William Hutton & Son. This was a partnership of William Carr Hutton and his youngest son Herbert Hutton (senior, born 1843).William Carr Hutton died in 1865 and c. 1870 Herbert Hutton Sr. was joined by his brothers James Edward Hutton (b. 1839) and Robert (b. 1840) and the name was changed to William Hutton & Sons. A London showroom was opened in 1863 (13 Thavies Inn Holborn until 1891, and later 7 Farrington Road until 1918).In 1893 the firm acquired Rupert Favell & Co (manufacturer silversmith at Bucknall Street, Oxford Street, London) and in the same year became William Hutton & Sons Ltd.The firm acquired Creswick & Co in 1902, beginning to use their crossed arrows marks.The last Hutton family MD was Herbert Hutton Jr. before the company failed in 1930. That was due to lack of foresight by the Chairman of the Board...

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