Featured Victorian Writing Box

Bite me. I bought another one. It was going cheap.

 

Ooh, I love these & this one seems out of the ordinary & in such good condition - great grab.

 

Very nice box, Shangas!

 

I don't think it's horribly old, but it's quality.

 

The construction looks top notch. You could imagine Hermes or another snooty firm making such a thing. It doesn't look old when it comes to wear & tear, discoloration of leather, etc., but does have the 2 square compartments for an ink bottle & shaker of that sandy blotting stuff they used to to use, so set up is for someone using a dip pen. How old is 'horribly old'?

 

Oooohhh. Love it.

 

20th century; I think I'm seeing hex screws on the latch, and the metal doesn't appear to have any age on it.

 

Agree it's probably 20th century, but the hex screws securing the lock look like replacements to me. The ones holding the hinge look original.

 

Early 20th century at most. 1910 at the latest. By this time, fountain pens were taking over, and they were becoming SERIOUSLY outdated.

And the squares are for inkwells. Pounce pots died out decades, centuries ago.

 

Looks to me like it has a fair degree of oxidation/patina.

The Wiki article does not quite seem to have the seal of approval but does say:

In the 19th century the pounce pots or sanders often had a shallow dish round the top so that pounce or sand could be returned to the pot and reused. The process is very effective for quickly drying ink, and although blotting paper has been available since Tudor times, pounce or sand continued to be used throughout the nineteenth century because it was often cheaper.

With the handle in the lid, looks like it was meant for traveling, maybe part of a luggage set. I can see needing to have more need to get ink dry quickly under those circumstances than when at a desk. I used to assume both compartments were for ink bottles because the one I have has one screw top bottle remaining, but pretty sure I have seen another that was more intact & second bottle was a little shaker.

 

You couldn't have an open pounce pot on a travelling case like this. One jolt would send the pounce all over the place. Besides, this thing already has an inbulit blotter, so it doesn't need pounce.

 

The one I have seen was like a salt shaker, not wide open, & may have had a cover for the head when everything was closed up. You weren't checking it with an airline. I'm sure your man servant was careful not to turn it over. Obviously the second space could just as well accommodate a second bottle of ink, just saying there's another possibility.

 

I love it, Shangas, I would have bought it.
Btw, I still learned to write with a dip pen, but then I am ancient, of course. I got my first fountain pen when I was 8.

Have you mastered the 75 professional card tricks yet?

 

My fingers are killing me, but after a whole day of filing, I have finally cut a replacement key for the lock. Works perfectly!

 

No later than 1910 1890-1910, in wonderful condition, these do well on ebay.

 

Tol'ja so 1910 at the latest.

 

It’s edwardian for sure c.1910 maybe 1920 at the latest.

Writing boxes are always irresistible, they’re usually cheap where I am too. Yours is beautiful and 8n brilliant condition! Amazing!

 

I seriously doubt 1920. By then these things would've been VERY outdated. Edwardian period would be their last gasp.

 

It’s the last cry of the dip pen world. R.I.P 1910

Yeh I reckon your right there, 1910 is probably a better cut off