Featured Restoring a Georgian-era Writing Slope

To the more-experienced writing slope restorers out there:

By pure chance I've acquired what I believe is a high-quality rosewood slope with brass trimmings. Per the markings on the lock - J.Bramah with crown (no word Patent, no address) - that narrows down the date to around 1798-1800 per this site: https://forum.antique-locks.com/showthread.php/70-Bramah-locks-a-guide-to-dating. The tiny hand-cut dovetail joints on the pull-out drawer would seem to indicate this era as well.

The brass filigree on the outside is filled with intricate florets of what I think is ebony wood. There is also a thin ebony inlay within the frame of the writing surface. The bookrest that fits to the outside is the nicest I've seen, inlaid with brass and having brass page stops. The weight seems quite heavy for the dimensions (18 lbs with dimensions 42x25x16.5 cm), which leads me to think the slope could be solid rosewood (and a peek inside the drawer slot shows all red wood within). All these attributes have me believing this is a quite special slope.

For the restoration issues, I have 3 points:

1. The skiver looks to be original and intact; while not split at the fold like many slopes, it is VERY thin there. What are the best natural leather conditioners recommended to restore the skiver and keep it pliable?

2. There is a missing section of brass at one topside corner (see photo). The ebony florets are still there. Could a skilled metalsmith be able to cast a replacement?

3. Here's the hard one - there is a front brasss strip missing entirely, ebony florets and all (see photo). To get close to replacing this, could a 3D printer for brass be able to copy the matching strip on the left side as a replacement? Not possible to replicate the ebony that way, but perhaps a black lacquer could be substituted? Any other ideas?

There is also a missing brass strip inlay on the top left side, but that's a fairly easy fix.

(I'm just starting on the brass polishing, thus some 2-tone images!)

Thanks so much for any advice!

@Shangas @komokwa @808 raver @Marote

 

Beautiful. And a Bramah lock, top quality.
I'm sure you'll get some good advice from the people you tagged. Good luck!

 

She's beautiful....... & looks much loved and well taken care of with many years of careful use.
The brass page stops are a treat , to have survived !!

Yes the wood looks solid , and your dating , give or take seems to be accurate.

3. My daughter works with 3D printers , so I'll ask for her thoughts on the matter.
She's a teacher & on holiday at present , so her answer will be asap....

Lacquer is an idea , but wouldn't it be glossy as opposed to flat?

2. It's a small space , so perhaps a brass tone enamel could fill that space adequately...........?

1. There are many good leather products.
I don't know , a best , or what would be available in your area. Others will !

Be gentle & have fun on your journey !!!

 

These are my thoughts on the slope, yes it's a real banger of a slope, all it's missing is candle holders to have everything a slope can have. I think it's early and the lectern is a very nice touch but I wouldn't have said 1800, my guess would be around 1830, the Bramah with crown stamp from 1798-1851 https://www.barbourproductsearch.info/Bramah Lock and Security Solutions 2024-file154741.pdf
I very much doubt solid rosewood as all cabinet makers knew using some solid wood (like rosewood) wouldn't be stable, a far more complex and better construction would be rosewood on mahogany, like yours.
1) there are many leather softening products but I can't recommend one because TBH I've never had to use one, sorry. Just make sure it doesn't affect the gold.
2 and 3) measure the thickness of the brass plate and buy enough to replace all that's missing. Get a sheet of tracing paper and do a rubbing of the pattern then glue it to the replacement brass, now find some ebony veneer of the right thickness and glue it to the back of the brass (use hide glue) using a jewelers saw cut out the pattern, here is a video, it's not as hard as you might think

Glue down any loose or lifting inlays then use the finest wire wool (0000) to clean it, don't use brasso it will stain it white. After cleaning just use a good wax polish, I wouldn't say it needed refinishing. The real hard one is to find a key that fits (good luck there) but if the can find one it will add at least £100.

 

Many locksmiths have loads of old keys. I took my slope to a local locksmith and he was able to find a key that fit within minutes of going through his collection.

 

Bramah spring locks (which is what I asssume this is, if it's super high-quality), use special keys. They have to be cut by hand.

If you can find a locksmith who specialises in cutting antique keys, they should be able to replicate a new / spare key for the lock (I would strongly suggest getting at least two keys). Bramah's a very well-known manufacturer, so any decent locksmith who makes antique-style keys should be able to make one for you.

Regarding the skiver - my own personal suggestion would be to **VERY CAREFULLY** if possible, lift and peel away the leather from the top of the box. Usually these were stuck down with a simple water-based paste (similar to wallpaper paste, etc) back in the old days. And after 220 years, the glue is probably going to be quite easy to remove, anyway...

Once removed, I would cut and glue on a THIN LAYER of fabric underneath the skiver (cotton, linen, or another sheet of leather) and then glue the whole thing back down onto the box.

This would allow you to use the original skiver while also reinforcing it for future use.

 

I would love to meet a locksmith who could cut a key for a antique Bramah lock, I have 2 boxes that I need Bramah keys for, also the problem is the keys, they come in a few different sizes, some slightly bigger and some slightly smaller. I suppose if the lock can be removed without ruining the box cutting one isn't so bad but without removal I think it's impossible.

 

Thanks so much all for the detailed replies (sorry for the late response - relatives in town)! @komokwa, would love to hear your daughter's thoughts on the 3D printing ... @808 raver, an interesting approach there, will do some research, and many thanks for the video ... @Shangas , that procedure scares me mightily but as you say it would clearly add some longevity.

Also happy to say, 2 lovely 3-piece candle sconces are present, which break down and fit nicely under the small brass-lined lid ... the one on the right I've polished, the one on the left is waiting.

 

ya, they show in the 2nd photo !

my daughter has never 3D 'd with brass, and while possible , suggest a more 3D friendly material....that could be painted brass color..

 

How blind am I? So sorry, I didn't see the sconces in the previous photos or I would have said this slope is a collectors dream. Slopes that have everything like this are very rare, I really think you should find a professional restorer and have it restored. I really think this example is at the very top end of writing slopes.

 

Wow - thanks so much @808 raver for those comments! Professional restorers in the US I think are rare as hen's teeth, would you happen to know of any? The slope came from a wealthy estate in Florida 3 weeks ago, by pure chance I found it only hours after it was posted on Facebook Marketplace.

 

TBH the only reason I started restoring in the first place was because the restorer I picked to restore my ebony writing slope didn't do a good job and he was so expensive it wasn't worth it. I do have a 3 or 4 slopes but they are very different to yours this is why your slope didn't jump out at me in the way it should have, I'm not really a writing slope collector, there is one on here but I forget their name. I would expect your slope to fetch around £2000 in the UK fully restored, what it would make in the US or what you paid I don't know, it has to be worth restoring before you start unless you want to indulge in a charitable endeavor. I'm sure you will be able to find a restorer local to you, I don't know any restorers in the US I would trust, all I've seen is the US Youtube restorers, there is only a certain amount I can take watching them ruin fine antiques before I switch off. You almost need a Boulle restorer, an easy job for them and maybe a hard job for a normal US antique restorer, in the UK a brass fretwork job like this wouldn't be out of the normal. Really what I'm trying to say is this is a slope of such quality you shouldn't use it to learn restoring on, it's only after years of practice I will have the nerve to take on valuable antiques like this. Here is a video of a slope being restored, he also has a video of missing brass on a Boulle cabinet being replaced to show the process

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3zQbKK8hNw0

 

Many thanks again @808 raver for the candid advice and the video! I would certainly want the job done right ... would you think shipping it off to an expert in the UK would be unreasonable? I do know of a very experienced metalsmith not too far away, I will consult with them as well ... also plenty of antique stores around, but it's likely there is little experience amongst them with slopes of this caliber.

TBH I'm embarrassed to say the asking price was "$200 or best offer" ... I added $50 for the accompanying fitted wood stand (not original I'm sure), plus shipping.

 

don't be that way....u took a chance on your initiative ....& it paid off !!!

 

Firstly, don't be embarrassed, you don't know the cost of the full restoration yet. By the sounds of it there aren't many restorers in the US that can do the work (I suspect there are you just need to ask around) I'm not a professional restorer, I only do my own pieces but I wouldn't be nervous about taking on your work so I would think any professional restorer in the US could easily do it. I would rule out US restorers before sending such a heavy box to the UK, I'm sure any top end antique shop in the US has someone they trust, if you ask I'm sure they will put you in touch. It's almost Boulle work in restoration terms, I didn't post pics of the finished box but it was fully done just after these pics were taken. https://www.antiquers.com/threads/boulle-box-restoration-before-and-after-wall.85249/

 

Beautiful piece. Not sure why you don't believe there aren't many competent restorers and/or conservators in the US, there are several here in Florida, most members of the American Institute for Conservation, and while the majority of their business is artwork, they've also trained in other areas as well. Personally, as someone who has sold and collected leather goods for decades, would suggest if consulting a restorer/conservator, they would have an opinion on the proper care, it still appears intact at the hinge, peeling it up seems a bit risky to me (do no harm), the same for conditioners, some have chemicals that can be harmful, or oils that can darken the leather, and I've no use for saddle soap - it wasn't even good for my saddles, etc. a half century ago, especially in the Florida heat and humidity.

Here's the AIC website, looks like they have a nationwide search:

https://www.culturalheritage.org/professional-membership/find-a-professional



~Cheryl

 

Wow what a gorgeous box @808 raver , you did a heck of a job! And many thanks @DragonflyWink, I did not know of that bunch do will definitely dig in! I'll report back with next steps

 

916Bulldogs sent us a small clock that needed a key and my locksmith husband was able to find a key for it. He's been in business 53 years and a lot of antique dealers bring him chests or have him come out to make keys for antique boxes, clocks and furniture.

 

I have found around 70 keys for antique boxes in my time but never have I been lucky with a Bramah lock, without removing it from the box (this is normally very difficult without causing damage) I don't know of a way a key can be made. I would love to know how it's done as I have a very special box with a Bramah lock that doesn't have the right key, I have Bramah keys but how to measure the slides inside without taking the lock apart is beyond me. The problem is a Bramah locks back then (and now) were very expensive, it was a very high security lock, box makers would build the box around the lock leaving no screws exposed this is why a working Bramah lock with key puts at least £100 on the value of a box, you never find a Bramah lock on a run of the mill box, it's always on a very top end box.