Fine antique Georgian to early Victorian era upright knife or cutlery box, a 12.75" tall chest in walnut with ebony or ebonized edging, brass inlays and shield shaped escutcheon! A unique style, we normally see these old Georgian era cutlery boxes with serpentine shaped fronts and the addition of brass inlay & ebonized veneer edging are similar to Napoleon III era ebaniste works so this one may be a transition piece somewhere between the Georgian & Napoleon III styles. The interior is not fitted anymore, it would have had likely fabric liner in the lid and a slotted panel over the top of the base, the fittings to hold knives, etc. in an upright position. This is back when knives were kept locked up, both for safety reasons and to keep them from being removed from the household for sure. An elegant, somewhat simple piece and a wonderful decorative accent.
Good condition. Just as you see it. There are a few chips to the ebonized edging and a few sections of the brass stringing missing (from sides). The lock mechanism is intact but no key and, so far, we've not been able to find a working replacement or determine if the lock works. As noted, the interior is empty with the rough wood visible in the bottom and the interior of the lid has been stained black. Some age/wear visible to the finish in places on the walnut. See pictures for all measurements.
