An antique English travelling lap desk on a modern wood stand, mahogany and rosewood veneer, brass and leather, overall 19-3/4"W x 10-3/8"D x 20"H. The pretty wood of the outer case is rosewood veneered with brass banding, hinges, handles, lock escutcheon with patent, and inset medallion on the lid. The interior also has some brass inlay accents, and a tooled leather writing surface. The back of the interior has a pen tray, two lidded compartments and two open compartments in which are the ink container and the powder container, both in glass with gilded brass lids. The back portion conceals a hidden compartment, which accesses with a spring lock inside of which are three small drawers with ivory turned knobs.
By the second decade of the 19th century the strengthening devices such as brass bindings, now often in the form of brass edgings, were enhanced with decorative features. Extra stringing, circles, fleur-de-lis, intricate escutcheons, ornamental top plates. Instead of solid mahogany throughout, the boxes were made in plain mahogany for strength and stability and then veneered in figured mahogany, rosewood or kingwood. The veneers were carefully selected for their rich appearance. The surfaces were French polished which enhanced the beauty of the dark striations within such woods as kingwood and rosewood and the beautiful figure of mahogany and other woods. The writing surfaces were covered in velvet or leather and the interior was sometimes polished. The secret drawers were by this time more popular than the side drawer. Occasionally both were used, especially on larger boxes.
750/1,500 Sold $690.00
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