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Message:: [QUOTE="afantiques, post: 30351, member: 25"]They are dead out of fashion in Britain and have been for a few years, so prices are pretty weak, but that is a good complete example with the ivory accoutrements (you were lucky with your import) and you got it for a good price, especially in one of the most expensive places in the country to buy antiques. It may have helped that it is not the usual tourist purchase. It is campaign equipment, the recessed handle is for easy shipping without damage, civilian writing slopes were different in construction and style, and usually rather earlier. The inclusion of a vesta case and some of the other fittings would not be needed in  a piece in a domestic setting. Where mad dogs and Englishmen went out in the midday sun, you'd need to have everything you'd possibly need to write your dispatches. On your silver belts, I see the lion and unicorn of the Imperial coat of arms incorporated in the design, which you'd not be surprised to see from something made in a British Empire country, and you'd see from nowhere else. Despite its slope, 'writing slope' is not really the correct description. They would have used the Exhibition date right up to the time the firm folded, so you can't be all that precise, but 1870 is a good approximation quite near enough for any purpose. Sight of the business end of the key would show if it had a Bramah type lock, though probably not Bramah as this would be on the lockplate.[/QUOTE]