Antique Dressing Case in Rosewood with Silver-Gilt / Gold Fittings by Asprey
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Antique Dressing Case in Rosewood with Silver-Gilt / Gold Fittings by Asprey

Ref DL091
SOLD
Manufactured and retailed by Asprey, this antique dressing case is veneered in Rosewood with brass edging, brass recessed side handles and a large central Baroness's coronet above a monogram bearing the initials 'A.E.T'.

The self-locking Bramah lock is stamped with ‘ASPREY'S PATENT' around the circumference of the front aperture. 'Asprey's Patent' refers to the design of the lock, whereby the front aperture slides to the right, disengaging the locking mechanism and thus allowing the box to then be opened.

The interior, lined in a combination of purple velvet, moire silk and Morocco leather, contains sixteen cut glass vanity bottles and jars with silver-gilt, engraved lids. Solid gold discs inset onto the lids are engraved with the matching coronet and initialed monogram. Each of the silver fittings bear the maker's mark of Charles Rawlins and William Summers, and are hallmarked London 1841. The box itself, dating to the late 1850's, was a later Asprey commission to specifically hold this particular dressing set. Asprey were well-known for offering a bespoke service of manufacturing or re-fitting boxes for their customers own dressing, travelling, sewing or jewellery sets.

The middle tray's central section is fitted with a mother of pearl handled button hook, a mother of pearl handled tongue scraper, a pair of tweezers with ear wax scraper, two pairs of steel scissors stamped 'Asprey - 166 Bond Street', a Mordan & Co retractable pencil, a mother of pearl ink pen, a two-part cork screw, a mother of pearl handled stiletto, a hinged perfume bottle cork screw, a mother of pearl handled leather hole punch, and mother of pearl handled penknife/ letter opener.

The lower tray is lined with purple velvet and moire silk. With all three trays removed, two small concealed pull-out drawers in the base section become accessible.

A free-standing leather-bound mirror is fitted to the underside of the lid.

An embossed leather panel on the inside of the lid displays the gold tooled maker's mark of, 'ASPREY & SONS. MAKERS. 166 BOND ST. LONDON'

The lock plate is stamped with 'Asprey - 166 Bond Street', and comes with its original Bramah key.
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  • Width: 37.3 cm / 14.75 inches
  • Depth: 27.3 cm / 10.75 inches
  • Height: 16.7 cm / 6.5 inches

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