19th Century Anglo Indian Brass Strapped Rosewood Campaign Vanity Dressing Box

Details

Description

This exceptional 19th-century Victorian Anglo-Indian military campaign vanity dressing box is crafted from highly figured solid tropical rosewood and teak. … Read more This exceptional 19th-century Victorian Anglo-Indian military campaign vanity dressing box is crafted from highly figured solid tropical rosewood and teak. Originating from the British Raj era, this heavy-walled box features flush-mounted brass corner straps, thick stitched leather side handles, and a fabric-lined interior with hand-carved wood compartment accents. The interior reveals an ingenious mechanical pop-up triptych mirror frame that forms a self-supporting A-frame easel display. It measures 6.75" H x 20.00" W x 12.25" D and showcases an authentic high-grade brass lever lock stamped by the famous Birmingham maker J. Showell & Co.
CONDITION ASSESSMENT:

Integrity: Structural resonance is excellent with perfectly stable tropical timber walls. The integrated mechanical triptych mirror frames cycle and lock into an A-frame configuration smoothly without pinching or rubbing.

Artifacts: The interior rim lock is cleanly stamped with the historical maker mark "J. SHOWELL & CO. BIRMINGHAM" and "DRS LEVER LOCK".

Wear: A clean, stable age-related wood contraction seam runs along the top right lid panel adjacent to the brass strap. The exterior surface shows light historical scuffs, field abrasions, and minor screw slot wear. Leather side handles show light superficial drying but remain strong. The original lock key is not included.

Internal Corner Brackets: The hand-carved decorative wood corner bracket inlays within the internal storage compartments are incomplete. The remaining loose, uninstalled wood corner brackets are included with the vanity to assist with restoration, though some brackets remain permanently missing.
PROVENANCE & CONDITION NOTE: Every item in our gallery is hand-selected from private estates, bringing a diverse timeline of history directly to you. Because these items have been previously owned and loved, they inherently carry a sense of history and character. We pride ourselves on transparency; therefore, we ask that you utilize our high-resolution photography as the primary guide to each piece’s unique vintage condition and patina. See less