This rectangular satinwood box has a flat hinged lid and a warmth to the wood that's held up well for a hundred years — the sort of patina that only comes from being handled rather than shut in a cabinet. Inside, the fitted lining runs cherry red leather against a tan leather base, a pairing that would have felt sharp and modern against the pale satinwood when the box was new.
Satinwood came into fashion during the Art Deco period partly because its pale, close grain suited the era's taste for clean lines and light surfaces, a departure from the darker mahogany and walnut favoured a generation earlier. English makers of the 1920's turned it into everything from cigarette cases to jewellery boxes, and this piece sits comfortably in that tradition — small enough for a dressing table, sturdy enough for daily use.
It works equally well now as a card box, a vide-poche, or simply somewhere to keep small jewellery, which is more flexibility than most decorative boxes offer.
Condition notes
Excellent antique condition. Tiny nicks to corners; some light wear to leather; small chips on the back.
