Description

Antique Coromandel Writing Boxwith strong brass edging, double stringing on the front and top, and flush fitting campaign carry handles on each side.

Opening the striking coromandel writing box reveals its a pair of brass crown top inkwells, pen tray and lidded compartments, underneath of which has two fabulous candle sconces. This fabulous writing box has its original deep blue / purple gold tooled leather writing surface with a storage space under each the upper and lower half, with the upper half being lockable to keep items secure and safe. The upper half has a secret compartment with an interesting method of access. On the right hand edge of the open slope is a removable brass securing pin which helps keep the side drawer secure. Putting the main lock mechanism into the locked position allows the brass pin to be pressed into the left hand side of the lock mechanism which will cause a false wall to spring forward revealing four secret ribbon handled drawers. The brass pin located inside edge of the box is in place to prevent the side drawer to be accessed, once the box is opened and the pin is removed a full length mahogany lined dovetailed drawer can be removed.

This brass bound coromandel writing box has two tasselled keys and fully working locks, one for the interior and one to lock the exterior of the box.

Mark Goodger Antiques stock many different styles of Writing Box. The Writing Box symbolises great milestones in social & economic history.

For many centuries, and in many cultures, portable boxes for writing materials had existed. In England, it was not until the late 18th century that a variation in social & economic circumstances made it essential to have the use of a portable desk in the form of a box which could be used on a lap or table. The Writing Box, or Lap Desk, was born!

The first writing boxes symbolised intelligence, knowledge of commerce and the world, with style and fashion being a lesser priority at this time. For around 100 years from the late 1700s, the writing box featured strongly on military expeditions, travels, libraries and in drawing rooms. Famous literature, contracts, letters and postcards were written on it. The Writing Box was a personal possession, unlike the writing desk or table.

Additional information