1839 Fitzmaurice West Victorian Ebony & Brass Inlays Necessaire De Voyage

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EXQUISITE ANTIQUE TRAVELLING CASE OR VICTORIAN NÉCESSAIRE DE VOYAGE
A work of extraordinary craftsmanship, this exquisite English vanity case is … Read more EXQUISITE ANTIQUE TRAVELLING CASE OR VICTORIAN NÉCESSAIRE DE VOYAGE
A work of extraordinary craftsmanship, this exquisite English vanity case is as much an item of luxury as it is of necessity. Known as a Nécessaire de Voyage, this campaign style case features real ebony wood on the outside flanked on top by an ineradicable Fitzmaurice West logo in brass inlays, sleek solid brass campaign handles on the sides and on the front bottom drawer, solid and polished brass inlays around the edges and corners. The bottom is green felt lined. The interior features a luxurious blue velvet-lined compartmented to house various toiletry accouterments. A velvet-lined bottom drawer provide additional compartment space for storing one's other valuable items.
The open case reveals a brass inlay, engraved manufacturers plate that reads " ‘F. West – Manufacturer To Prince Albert & The Royal Family – No.1 St James’s St.’. Ingeniously designed, this case is both practical and beautiful.

As travel became more and more fashionable in the 18th and 19th centuries, vanity sets such as this evolved into highly personalized symbols of wealth among young men and women. Containing everything from toiletries and jewelry to sewing and writing instruments, nécessaires provided a convenient means of transporting the personal necessities of everyday life. Today, these cases are a charming reminder of a bygone age of lavish house parties and the Grand Tour and are highly prized.

ABOUT FITZMAURICE WEST

Fitzmaurice West established himself as a cutler and dressing case manufacturer in 1839 and subsequently became appointed manufacturer to Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, the Duchess of Kent and other members of the Royal Family. He established his business at 1 St James Street, London in 1839.
West later moved his business to 2 St James’s Street, London in 1877 and later, in 1883, to 9 King Street, St James’s, London.
As a side note, it is interesting to observe that many of West’s dressing cases were finished with ebony veneer and contrasted with brass work. This was a relatively unusual veneer choice for an English dressing case, and it is indeed possible that West was inspired by his French contemporaries, who often adopted this ebony and brass combination for their nécessaires. See less