Dimensions (cm): 29 x 20 x 15

Year: 1800

A rare Regency tortoiseshell combined sewing and jewellery Box of sarcophagus shape with silver stringing lines and ivory mounts, the hinged top with a vacant silver plaque, opening to reveal a blue silk-lined fitted interior with lidded and open compartments for rings, brooches, sewing accoutrements etc.
Two compartments with tortoiseshell lids and ivory finials, with a mahogany-lined drawer below with silver loop handle below a silver keyhole escutcheon, with gilt metal lion mask and ring handles, on gilt metal hairy lion paw feet.

This rare Box would have been made for a wealthy lady of taste in Regency England. The sarcophagus shape, lion mask handles and lion paw feet are all typical stylistic features used by designers in that period, in part reflecting England's growing lion-like stature on the world stage.
The quality of the box is reflected in details like the silver stringing lines and the mahogany lining to the drawer, a timber which had to be imported from the East or West Indies and yet here is only used for the drawer lining. The doubling-up as a storage facility for sewing items and jewellery made it useable in today's world when sewing is not the force it was 200 years ago.

Bar Code: 10144