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1900's Tortoiseshell and Silver Pique Work Letter Box

About the Item

An early 20th century tortoiseshell and silver piqué work Letter Box. The sloping front is inset with a delicately engraved design comprising of flowerheads and scrolling foliage. The lock is set within a floral and foliage swag, between silver bracket feet. The compartmentalised interior IS lined in red watered silk, the lockplate inscribed H&C over L and 'secure lever'. The original key is stored in an envelope with printed label for Elkington & Co Ltd, Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Jewellers, Medallists, Bronzists, Watch & Clock Makers, 42 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. Piqué work was a decorative technique made by inlaying tiny sections of gold or silver into tortoiseshell. In 1770 the entrepreneur and maker Matthew Boulton developed a method of producing piqué work panels in factories, and the present Letter Box looks back stylistically to that period, with its neo-classically inspired floral swag, its bracket feet emulating the feet on English late 18th century furniture, and its use for storing letters harking back to the days when letter-writing was an essential everyday activity for the cultured individual. The pictures are part of the description. Warning: Since this items are made of a protected species, CITES document need to be applied for shipping, this document process may take few weeks to be approved before the items is shipped to you.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 7.88 in (20 cm)Width: 10.63 in (27 cm)Depth: 5.52 in (14 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1900
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Minor fading.
  • Seller Location:
    Hong Kong, HK
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: #10216 CITES1stDibs: LU5609238116102
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