Office & Study

This is a lovely Chinoiserie writing slope/box...it was covered in black laquar when made...also has a considerable amount of inlay (mother or pearl plus something else...see photo...two of the inside panels also have gilt pictures/artwork/paintings on them. There is also a drawer at the side in which to store paper. I'll let the pictures below do the rest of the descriptive work for me.

The size of the box is 40 cms x 24.5 cms x 15 cms....the writing slope (when opened) is then 40 cms x <49 cms.

The box obviously needs some work...some of the lacker (is that American spelling) has flaked off, and needs to be replaced (or if you are like me you'll leave it in its natural aged look)...THE UNDERLYING TIMBER LOOKS LIKE HUON PINE OR SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR...LOTS OF KNOTS AND BIRDS EYE STUFF...see one of the photos, SO YOU MIGHT ALSO STRIP THE OUTSIDE...also, some of the hinges need work/replacing...some velvet is missing...but most/all of the box part of the box is there and it is an absolute stunner.

lovely antique swirl paperweight/glass dump

Item number: OFF08121557

Price: $135

Victorian glass dump paperweight with bubbles

Item number: OFF08121602

Price: $225

This is a superb Victorian Sheffield silver-plated inkwell set complete with 2 silverplate-topped crystal or glass bottles. Overall the inkwell set is in very good condition. The faults I can see are that two nuts underneath that hold the trays in place are missing...they have one nut each and are secure anyhow....one of the bottles is also chipped at the bottom at the back...can't see when bottle is in tray.

The inkwell is about 25 cms (to end of handles) x 15 cms and stands about 9 cms high (top of finial on bottles).

I have looked up the hallmark and it appears to have been made by Roberts & Belk of Sheffield who made silver during the period 1864-1867, so I guess this dates to that time. You can find a reference to the hallmark at this link

I've clean the silver a bit more since taking the photographs and I can tell you it is stunning. Please also note that silverplate is not the same as electroplate....it has a thicker layer of silver and the silver is usually rolled on the outside of copper or brass.