Administrative Travel Case In Walnut And Brass – Netherlands, Circa 1760.

Interesting travel case in solid walnut, rimmed and reinforced with brass nailed in the manner of hinges on all its edges, work attributed to the Netherlands around 1760, designed for itinerant professional use, probably by a notary, banker or judicial officer. The case, mounted with dovetails, has side handles with bronze swivel grips and a large cut brass lock entry. Remarkable particularity: two internal through holes on the sides allowed the case to be fixed to a table or a support, in order to secure it against theft, a device typical of valuable or itinerant work cases. The interior, intelligently arranged, includes: Two flaps under the lid, for mail or documents. A removable drawer with three compartments, the middle one wider surely for storing documents, two side flaps, the one on the right, intended for writing utensils (inkwell) the one on the left perhaps for quills. Once this locker is lifted, we have access to a cellar to place objects and two compartments closed by shutters, the left one with a key lock for the storage of valuables or confidential documents. This box combines the functions of secure transport furniture and portable workstation, used in an administrative, legal or financial context. Condition: The box is in very good condition, without significant restoration. The wood is perfectly sound, and no damage from wood-boring insects is to be reported. This is explained by the exceptional density of the walnut used, which testifies to a rigorous selection of materials and particularly careful cabinetmaking work. We have associated two functional keys: A key with a bronze head, which perfectly operates the main lock. A simple key, suitable for the small interior box on the left. This box perfectly illustrates the know-how of 18th century Dutch cabinetmakers, renowned for their technical mastery, their elegant sobriety, and their rigor in the choice of wood. Some of them practiced their art in France, bringing their influence notably to trading cities like Dunkirk, Bordeaux or Paris. Although of Dutch manufacture, it is interesting to note that this model shares many similarities with the French boxes produced notably in Grenoble by the Hache family, in particular Jean-François Hache, of which several comparable models are published (Pierre & Françoise Rouge, Les Hache à Grenoble, éd. Faton, p. 152–153). The box has been cleaned and re-waxed, preserving a beautiful patina and giving it a beautiful luster, a small groove has been made on the central flap of the removable compartment and the pull cords have been changed. Dimensions: Width: 43 cm Depth: 26 cm Height: 18 cm