A Tunbridge Ware Stationery Box with Rose Mosaics c1865

Description

Heading : A Tunbridge Ware Stationery Box with Rose Mosaics
Date : c1865
Period : Victoria
Origin : Tunbridge Wells. Kent – attributed to Henry Hollamby
Decoration : A rounded.. flat-ended lid featuring a golden satinwood reserve around a wool-work style rose image; two pairs of banded/continuous keylines around a narrow floral border; a similar border around the four flat edges of the lid; to the four simple-curved sides of the walnut body – a wide frieze of mixed flowers and leaves bounded with banded/continuous keylines; a flush stickwork escutcheon to the keyhole

Internally: the lid with blue paper and blue satin lining. with an attached strip of looped pen-holders; the box has six compartments. with the dividers lined with blue – and edged with gold – paper

Size :  26.5 cm wide x 217.5 cm deep x 15.2 cm high
Condition : Excellent; very few missing tesserae; there are a few losses to the curved corners of the broad side frieze. a 3mm fill to one of the banded keylines and a tiny flake off the escutcheon; the bottom of one short side and the base have separated. and repaired. leaving a <1mm gap with hardened resin/lacquer/adhesive evident; the body bears a few very minimal bumps and scrapes. wholly commensurate with age; internally. the paper lining is a little tired.
Restoration : None. other than the joint repair as above.The box has been professionally cleaned and polished.
Weight :  818 grams

Note: Similar stationery boxes are often attributed to the workshops of Henry Hollamby. and this example features albeit sporadic use of his signature green-oak tesserae.