Description

Antique Military mahogany campaign writing box with reinforced steel screwed brass corner brackets for added strengths on this boxes military manoeuvres. It has large swan neck brass carry handles and an engraved initial plaque on the top which reads: “M. Grove”. The top of the box also has two small brass sleeves on the back edge which are for holding a reading rail which can be found under the front half of the interior writing surface.

Opening this magnificent military captains writing box reveals its original green baize writing surface. Both halves can be lifted, the lower half is secure by two small brass tabs once they have been moved so you can access it it reveals a large storage compartment with the reading rail hidden on the back wall via its locating pins.
The top half of the writing surface has an unusually securing mechanism we have not seen before. It requires the pen tray to be pressed towards the outside of the box. This will cause the locked writing surface to spring up, once lifted it reveals three storage compartments with a few secrets! The first requires the compartment dividers to be removed by pressing the lower wall of the compartment on the inside of each divider. With the dividers removed the next step is to remove the side drawer retaining pin on the right-hand edge of the interior. Once the pin is removed it must be used to press into the second screw on the top right-hand strengthening bracket. This will allow the false wall to spring forward revealing four small mahogany dovetailed drawers with turned bone handles.
The secrets don’t stop here though, one more secret compartment to access! Removing the small left-hand side drawer complete and applying pressure to the back of its compartment will cause the compartment floor in front of it to spring up allowing it to be removed revealing a very secure and bigger secret compartment!

With the brass retaining pin removed to access these secret compartments, the side drawer can be opened or removed completely. Unusually both this drawer and the back of the upper writing surface have a makers label : “Gaimes Cutler and Perfumers, No54 St. Pauls Church Yard, and No56 Cornhill.”

The top left-hand edge of the open box has a large cut-steel key housed in it. This key is used on the turndown screws which are located on the left-hand edge and just below the lectern for securing the writing slope to a surface to keep it from being stolen or steady on the voyage of a ship.

This very rare and magnificent writing box has such great colour, some battle scars and super patina. It has a pair of Sheffield plated inkwells, one for dusting the ink, a fully working lock and tasselled key.

All our items come with authentication certificate with image, care instructions and separate invoice for insurance purposes. On top of this, our items come with 14 day no-quibble money-back guarantee and are all fully insured for when shipping.

Additional information