{"product_id":"victorian-burr-walnut-fitted-vanity-box-with-secret-mirror-and-drawer","title":"Victorian burr walnut fitted vanity box with secret mirror and drawer","description":"\u003ch3\u003eAbout this piece\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVictorian travellers took packing seriously, and a fitted vanity box like this one was essentially a Swiss army knife for personal grooming, built to survive a steamer trunk and a rough carriage ride. The case is veneered in richly figured burr walnut with contrasting dark edging, and the mother of pearl shield set into the lid, echoed by a matching escutcheon around the keyhole, is a small formal touch on an otherwise practical piece.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOpen the lid and four rectangular cut-glass bottles with circular metal covers and two round jars sit alongside a long rectangular glass box with an engraved metal cover, all held in individually shaped compartments lined in deep bottle-green velvet. Lift out the top tray and a mirror, framed in matching burr walnut, sits ready for use, propped or held as needed. Beneath it, a second fitted layer holds a set of mother of pearl handled implements, among them a nail file, a buttonhook, a corkscrew and a small pair of scissors, echoing the mother of pearl on the lid. The fitted interior itself lifts clear to reveal further storage below, and a concealed button at the side releases a sprung tray for jewellery or other small possessions, the kind of touch that turns a dressing case into something closer to a small piece of engineering. The original key survives too, its green silk tassel a nice period detail on its own.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCases like this were among the more considered possessions a Victorian traveller owned, built to keep toiletries, jewellery and dressing implements organised and secure on the road, and their concealed compartments and folding mechanisms said as much about the cabinetmaker's skill as about how seriously personal grooming was taken at the time. This one earns its keep on both counts: the burr walnut is warm and well figured, the green velvet interior and fitted glassware have survived largely intact, and between the folding mirror and the sprung side drawer there's rather more going on than a first glance lets on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCondition notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood antique condition overall with wear consistent with age and use. There are marks, scratches and areas of wear to the burr-walnut exterior, including some small veneer losses and old repairs, together with wear to the original interior and fittings. These signs of use are consistent with a travelling dressing case of this age and form part of its historic character.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rita's Bazaar","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54592359498061,"sku":"4829","price":395.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0975\/4191\/4957\/files\/IMG_2685-Photoroom.jpg?v=1787788188","url":"https:\/\/ritasbazaar.co.uk\/products\/victorian-burr-walnut-fitted-vanity-box-with-secret-mirror-and-drawer","provider":"Rita’s Bazaar","version":"1.0","type":"link"}