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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Joshtully on April 18, 2013, 01:27:12 PM

Title: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Joshtully on April 18, 2013, 01:27:12 PM
Hi, I picked up this little box and haven't really hot a clue about it, can anybody please shed some light on this for me, thanks.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: cmlindb on April 18, 2013, 01:40:45 PM
Whats the size of this box, whats the inside look like, anything on the bottom? Just a picture like that looks like a cigar box to me.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Joshtully on April 18, 2013, 01:47:46 PM
Hi, thanks for the reply, the box is 6 inches by 3 inches, inside has some fancy blue cushioned Cotten with a lace inlay. It looks hand made and every individual piece of wood and pearl is glued in with some sort of old brown stuff.... It also looks to have bone or maybe ivory in there too.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: bigwull on April 18, 2013, 01:59:50 PM
what happened to the other measurement...i.e. 6 x 3 x ?....is the blue cotton segmented?...a pic of the hinges, ..from what i see here..its a small trinket box,...depending on where you are..it might be treen...or maybe Turnbridge Ware...but we do need as much info as possible...
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Joshtully on April 18, 2013, 02:12:48 PM
Sorry it's 6x3x 1 5/8. I'm in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. I honestly haven't got a clue what I've got so all your help is great! You can only see the back of the hinges because the inside is covered up, hope these pics help!
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: bigwull on April 18, 2013, 02:22:42 PM
Sorry it's 6x3x 1 5/8. I'm in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. I honestly haven't got a clue what I've got so all your help is great! You can only see the back of the hinges because the inside is covered up, hope these pics help!
Well yer nae that far fae me...i,m in Scotland.....I,m sure this box is Turnbridge Ware...see my link....

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tunbridge+ware&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=A1VwUfq_NOag0QXej4HwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1007&bih=577

and you must be an older Yorkshireman...as your still using, imperial,...or are you being generous to our American hosts..who don,t use mm,s ;D
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Buddie11 on April 18, 2013, 02:28:47 PM
Looks like marble mosaic to me cut and broken from tile,as for the centre of the medallion,red marble??? I could be wrong though about marble but definitely a mosaic. Hard to tell from pics could be ceramic or porcelain.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Buddie11 on April 18, 2013, 02:35:27 PM
After second look I stand behind what I said about tile,sure looks like it has been grouted.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: mart on April 18, 2013, 02:41:04 PM
At that size just a small trinket/jewelry box !!  The old brown glue is likely hide glue !!  Probably 1920`s or 30`s !!
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: bigwull on April 18, 2013, 02:43:54 PM
As this box is made of wood, there is no chance of it having broken tiles stuck on then grouted...as they would eventually fall off as the wood moves...look at my link..If this is,nt Turnbridge Ware...then I,m Chinaman...see also link and if it is as I think, then its worth £150+

http://www.tunbridgeware.org/index.pl?page=2;style=ignore_single;no_cache=1;order=title;upload=0;isa=Metadot::SystemApp::AntiqueSearch;expand_children=N;pagesize=9;op=search;
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: bigwull on April 18, 2013, 02:48:13 PM
If this is,nt Turnbridge Ware...then its a very good imitation,...If i were you Josh...I,d take it along to Sykes the Aucrioneers for a valuation, see link for their address...I,ve got my tootsies and mitts crossed...

http://www.wmsykes.co.uk/saleroom.php
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Buddie11 on April 18, 2013, 02:57:19 PM
Well, bigwull here in the great white north that is what we install floor tile over,spruce or fir plywood. (Residential)
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: bigwull on April 18, 2013, 03:08:51 PM
We do the same here,except we sheet the floor with marine ply, then Unibond it, then use Flexi,adhesive... but, we,re not talking about floor tiles...we,re talking about slivers of wood no more than a 1.5mm thick on a 6in x 3in box...
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Ipcress on April 18, 2013, 03:13:01 PM
Looks like a nice little marquetry box to me. Not sure about Tunbridge Ware and wouldn't class it as such but it's close.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: mart on April 18, 2013, 07:40:22 PM
I do not see the quality in this box that should be for Turnbridge ware even though it is done similarly !! And the shell inlay I have not seen in Turnbridge !!  Just a similarly done trinket box !!
And it is not broken tile !! Not thick enough for tile mosaic !!
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: KC on April 18, 2013, 11:19:58 PM
Ditto....doesn't look like the quality.

Pretty box though!
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Joshtully on April 19, 2013, 12:51:31 AM
The pictures don't really do the box any justice, in hand you can see the fine workmanship of each piece of wood laid in, and the ( tiles) look like mother of pearl to me, and the mosaic around the edges are made up from different material, either bone or ivory, I only say this because you can see the typical hair like fibre structure of the tiles, but again!!! I'm no expert, all your help has been a fantastic insight! And I'll take it along to the antique shop and see what they say. Ok let's say it is tunbridge..... How much would it be worth? Just so I don't get ripped off if I ever part with it! Again, thanks a bunch guys!
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: Ipcress on April 19, 2013, 05:34:10 AM
Guys, it's Tunbridge, not Turnbridge.

The box isn't new. I'd go as far to say it could be a century old. The marquetry is good but there appears to be some loss to the red detail on the lid ? ( the red detail intrigues me to be honest. Has no place on that box other than to signify something )

However, without provenance or attribution to someone it's worth is little compared to the work that went into it. I'd be keeping it but £15-30 would be an estimate. It is a tad small.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1301955

That sold for £70 ( which seems a bit low so maybe it was damaged ) and i think you can compare the quality.
Title: Re: What is this??? Please help!
Post by: bigwull on April 19, 2013, 06:32:49 AM
In, light of this latest revelation,that there may be slivers of tile, bone,or ivory,present,then,I think, its time for me to get out my Reverse Paddle,"Tunbridge",as far as i,m aware use only wood,therefore it is likely that this little box may have Eastern origins...which if is the case will ,lower its value,