Two Antique Wooden Boxes
This lot comprises a pair of antique wooden boxes, each offering a practical and decorative storage solution for the collector or home. Both are of rectangular form with hinged lids and show the warm, grained timber and brass detailing typical of nineteenth and early twentieth century cabinetmaking. Their scale makes them suitable for jewellery, correspondence, keepsakes or display on a dressing table or sideboard.
The box on the left has a plain lid with a fine brass stringing line running around the body, and its grain shows a rich, deep tone. The box on the right has a more ornate character, with a rectangular brass escutcheon set into the lid and a keyhole plate to the front. Its hinged lid opens to reveal a quilted red silk lining, and the interior is finished in a pale tone. Brass hinges are fitted to both boxes, which open on the back edge.
Condition and Collector Appeal
Both boxes show the expected wear of age and use. The lid surfaces display scuffs, fine scratches and darkened patches, and the edges and corners have softened over time. The lining in the right-hand box shows creasing and marks, and the interior surfaces of both boxes bear light staining and signs of handling. No restoration is evident, and the original brass hardware and timber surfaces have been retained, which adds to their originality and character. These boxes will appeal to collectors of antique boxes, those furnishing a period interior, and buyers seeking a pair with genuine age and patina.