Victorian Trinity House Nore Lightship Marquetry Writing Slope c.1850

This is a particularly good Victorian Trinity House walnut writing slope, circa 1850, belonging to the distinctive group of maritime marquetry boxes traditionally associated with the keepers of the Nore Lightship and Trinity House.

The lid is centred by a finely worked maritime marquetry scene showing a large sailing vessel passing a lightship, identifiable by its prominent spherical daymark and almost certainly intended to represent the Nore Lightship in the Thames Estuary. Boxes of this type are generally known as “Trinity House boxes” and are associated with the 19th-century tradition of lightship keepers producing decorative marquetry work for sale as souvenirs.

The maritime panel is framed by a finely worked geometric border, while the front is further embellished with two delightful Tunbridge-style mosaic plaques depicting recumbent dogs, positioned either side of the escutcheon.

Opening to reveal the original fitted writing interior with green leather writing surface, compartments and inkwells.

An unusually decorative example combining Trinity House maritime history, Nore Lightship imagery, Victorian marquetry and Tunbridge-style mosaic work, and considerably more interesting than a conventional Victorian writing slope. With key & working lock mechanism.

CONDITION damage to the escutcheon, the lid needs a little forcing to line the lock clasps up in order to lock it, overall it presents very well - as per images

The overall condition is as you would expect from an object of substantial age that has been displayed/handled/used, usually over the lifetimes of several owners.

DIMENSIONS

Height 14.5cm

Width 35cm

Depth 22.3cm

Weight 3kg

POSTAGE - see postage & payments tab for prices

- I combine items for shipping wherever possible.

- I charge only the actual cost of the postage & packaging materials, I do not charge a handling fee.