Featured What's your opinion on the lock of this grand piano shaped sewing box?

Another incredible find on the internet just arrived today-see pic. I'm super happy with it, but there's one thing I'm curious about: usually the boxes stated as French I saw online have round holes on the lock, and I have another box believed to be French has such round hole, but this one has two double squared holes. And all my English boxes and caddies have squared holes. What do you think? Could this be a later replacement? I don't really know about antique box components so lock is the only thing I knew to determine the age and origin!

Btw isn't it graceful?

 

how odd, I was looking at this the other day( this keeps happening ..)

https://www.weber-antiquites.com/produit/necessaire-de-couture-boite-a-musique-piano-xixe-siecle/

 

1 round hole,
But looking on several french boxes I have, also 2 square holes
so I don't think it makes origin or dating possible

 

Wow that's one is nice and with completed set and muscic box! I saw one sold 900 pounds plus BP in auction two days ago and another 800 on ebay with some of the tools missing. But I got mine much cheaper.

Yes I believe the box is definitely French regardless the type of the lock. But it could be replacement, as the lock seems newer than the hinges which is quite dark. Doen't make the box less charming to me anyway!

 

@808 raver Are you interested in box like this?

 

That is fabulous!!!!!

 

The happiest purchase of the month

 

That's a real stunner, fantastic box. I tend to limit my buys to unknown works of a artistic quality, let me explain. I buy for 2-3 reasons, 1 the time and skill needed 2 a lost skill (in other words no one alive today can do it) 3 the place these works were produced (if very hard to get to and only made for tourists at the time) 4 (yeah I know I only said 3) because I can buy an item for far less than I could sell it for because not many people know about it.
Your piano box, I think it could be either but I lean towards French, the lock is bent so it fits the bend of the piano but I think it's been very well replaced, the hinges look silver plated and normally the lock would also be plated to match. The lid bead also looks to have been replaced at some point. The internals all look French and original.
Restoration, I wouldn't (nor does it need it) tackle the outside or inside but you might want to address the lid not closing well by packing the hinge with a shim, unscrew the screws to the hinge and see if that allows the lid to sit flat, if so put a thin piece of card under the bottom of the hinge then replace the screws.
The mother of pearl items missing in the box aren't impossible to make yourself, you might be able to find scissors and the bottle as well (years of looking on ebay and asking sellers for sizes )
Overall a very nice box indeed and one I might even break my rules to buy.

 

Wow thank you for your observations! Yeah I remember your comments on that Mostly Boxes glove box so hmmmm the lock too new compare to the hinges, thus I see a replacement here as well.

For the lid I'm not quite sure, I have a tea caddy with a deformed lid (almost concave) and can't be closed perfectly. If I press the lid on this one it goes down a bit, and goes back once released. I don't dare to touch the screws though, think I'll just live with this little imperfection.

And yes the tools could be added too, but I paid a much lower amout than those come with a complete or partially missing set, can't conplain at all!

 

No I don't think the lock is new, I think it's about right for the period, yeah nothing can be done for a deformed lid but very often the wood shrinks over time and the back of the lid meets the back of the box first preventing the lid from closing fully, packing the hinge is a easy way to correct this. I have a number of boxes I bought that didn't have contents but managed to find or make convincing replacements.
I didn't mean to take away anything from the box, it's just wonderful as is.

 

I just checked the screws, they are tightlt fitted in place but the hinges can be moved slightly, one screwhead has slipped from the hole. But my screwdrivers are all too thick, so I'll leave it to future But anyway, it's great enough just to have it sitting on my table, I shall wait and see if a deal of sewing set comes to me!

 

Get a kit for repairing eye glasses, they have very small screw drivers

 

oh good thank you!

 

Ooh la la! Stunner! It will be fun to find bits that fits. I just unloaded a scent bottle that would have probably fit that space like a glove. Although I’m not sure how that space relates to sewing. What am I missing? Is it just not for a bottle?

 

maybe the bottle held other than scent?

 

Some examples do have spaces for scent bottle, but I know nothing about sewing tools, so not sure what bottle should go there!

 

https://www.theriaults.com/events/l...in-the-shape-of-grand-piano-with-original-key
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16307/lot/759/
Here are some examples
BTW does yours have a music box inside?

 

https://www.alexandrelandre.com/en/lot/145175/22959532-pianoshaped-music-box-for-sewi

 

No music box I only paid a third or quarter of those with music box or full set, so I'm cool with it! And wow 16000 dollar for the first one? Must be the finest of this type

 

PS: let me correct my mistake if anyone had noticed: this is actually not a piano, but a harpsichord! I just found out moment ago, though I know nothing about the difference between these two!