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Sales > Writing Slopes and Caddies
Writing Slopes and Caddies
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Gentleman's travelling dressing/ toiletry box in Coromandel wood with brass edging, top plaque and escutcheon. Interior fully fitted out with silver plate topped bottles and other containers. Inside lid fully fitted out with shaving razor etc., and mirror. Lock and key original and working. English, circa 1870.
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Kingwood writing lap-desk with kingwood cross-banding to the lids. Brass circles with ebony, and flush fitted brass handle.
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Ladies/ gents jewellery box in mahogany with brass dots and stringing, and brass on every edge. Brass top plaque and escutcheon. Interior fitted out with mirror envelope and tray with ebony stringing to mirror. Lock original, but with a new key. Made by John A. Farthing, of Cornhill, London, a writing desk, dressing case and work box maker. (1808-1839). Mid Regency, circa 1830.
Farthing, Kent’s directory for 1794 lists J. Farthing pocket book maker and cutler 43 Cornhill. Pocket book and writing desk maker, 43, Cornhill 1790-1802; 43 and 44 Cornhill 1805-1813; 42, Cornhill 1814-1851. Trading: as J. H. Farthing 1790-1802; as J. Farthing 1805-1815; as J. A. Farthing 1816-1823; as J. H. Farthing 1824-1840; as John Farthing 1842-1846; as John Farthing and Co. 1847/1851. In 1850/51 the name changed to Farthing & Thornhill and they ceased trading c. 1875 (see Walter Thornhill & Co). However they were still listed as John Farthing & Co, desk and dressing case maker (PO London Dir. 1854). Also described as cutler 1800-1840; as polygraph manufacturer 1808, 1817; as writing machine maker 1832-1842. The Sun Fire Office ref: MS11936/535/1154346 and 7 dated 1833 describes him as cutler hardwareman and pocket book maker at 42 Cornhill. An advertisement in The Morning Chronicle Tuesday January 16 1821 states: ‘IMPROVED COPYING and WRITING MACHINES, so accurate in their operation, as to render a mistake in their use impossible – A general Assortment of those truly useful Machines for Counting-houses and Private Use also a choice Collection of Portable Machines conveniently fitted up for Gentlemen going abroad, manufactured and sold by FARTHING, 42 Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, London.’
John Farthing may have been the ‘Farthing’ who was partner to Marc Isambard Brunel between around 1806 and 1813. Whilst Brunel provided the ideas and patents, Farthing was a prudent manager who provided the cash for some of his early projects, in particular the machinery for a sawmill at Battersea. Together they converted timber, cut veneers, sold saws and later engineered improvements to sawmills all over the country. Farthing withdrew from the partnership in about 1813 probably having made enough money to live comfortably. He maintained his own business however and in 1820 Brunel turned to his ex-partner to sell his newly patented ‘pocket copying-press,’ made by the engineering firm of Taylor and Martineau in Whitecross Street London.
An oval paper label pasted inside a large portable writing desk states: ‘By His majesty’s Royal Letters Patent / New Invented / PORTABLE WRITING DESKS / with Letter Copying Machines / for Writing with two Pens / which Produces two Originals at the same Time / Manufactured & Sold only by / J. H. FARTHING / No 43 Cornhill / LONDON / ? Maker / AND / Portable Writing Desk Manufacturer Retail & for Exportation.’ A brass-bound coromandel toilet box with stationery compartment is known marked Farthing and Thornhill.
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Rosewood writing box with extensive foliate brass. Brass flush side handles and all edges in squared brass. Interior with original red morocco leather, secret drawers and period late Regency inkwells. Georgian patent lock, with key in working order. Circa 1820.
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Rosewood tea caddy of casket shape with extensive brass foliate and gadrooning, with bun feet. Interior with twin compartments for tea. Original tooled velvet in burgundy on inside lid. Lock and key both working and original. Circa 1835.
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Rosewood jewellery box with extensive brass foliate to top and front. Of casket shape, with bun feet in rosewood, and gadrooning on all horizontal edges. Envelope to inside lid. Lock and key original and working. Circa 1830.
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C19th two decanter tantilus, in its original leather covered case. Intricate and pretty etched brass detail throughout.
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C18th pestle and mortar in lignum vitae.
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Kingwood tea caddy with x banding to top and front in tulipwood, ebony and boxwood all round. Harlequin patterning on every surface in various exotic woods. Interior fitted with matching lids, again with harlequin patterning and cross banding. Inside lid relined with period green paper. Lock and key working. Early Regency, circa 1815.
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9inch "Answered" and "Unanswered" letterbox in rosewood with gadrooning around top. Mother of pearl escutcheons with "Answered" and "Unanswered" written in. Interior fitted with two compartments in Georgian green paper. Lock and key working.
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17 inch ladies dressing case in kingwood with brass stringing and edging. Lock maker: John Lambe of Cockspur Street, London. (Wells and Lambe patented invisible hinges). Flush side handles and top plaque in brass. Interior fitted out with silk moire with matching velvet in blue- mirror inside lid. Fitted silver in interior. 10 pieces, dated 1845 (London). Various silver pieces from a complete fitted tray, mostly 1871 (Edinburgh). Combs and brushes, 4 pieces, Birmingham, 1893. 4 replace lids with silver fittings, circa 1840-1850. Lock and key both in working order.
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14 inch rosewood 20 degree writing slope with brass triple stringing and flush lifting handle and brass escutcheon (M. A. Cotton inscribed on handle). Interior in rosewood with kingwood x-banding, fully fitted bridge with two matching inks. Original burgundy, tooled leather. Lock and key original and working. English, circa 1820-1830.
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Rosewood stationery cabinet (14" x 11" x 6") with side pull out drawer with flush handle- contains one inkwell (S. Morden, London), and lidded compartment in rosewood. Mother of pearl top plaque with family coat of arms inscribed. Ivory escutcheon to front. Interior fitted but in silver/blue moire with compartments for stationery. Lock and key working. English, circa 1840.
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16 inch writing box in macassar ebony (a.k.a. calamander, a.k.a. coramandel), with brass stringing on every surface. Profusely decorated with conch shell and mother of pearl with brass acanthus work. Interior in matching ebony with brass stringing and mother of pearl satinwood to inside. Secret drawers under bridge and letter rack. Matching silver plate ink wells. Lock and key original and working. Made by the Mechi Brothers of Leadenhall Street, London. One of twelve made for the Great Exhibition of London in 1851 as a demonstration piece. Blue hide skiver by Murga Kandlar. English, circa 1850.
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