Lot 39: An English Embossed Brass-Clad Wooden Coal Box
A mid-20th century English coal or kindling box of rectangular form, featuring a wooden carcase clad in stamped brass sheeting. The exterior is decorated in high relief with traditional tavern scenes in the 17th-century Dutch style, depicting figures dining and drinking outside a timbered inn. The central scenes are framed by stylized tree trunks and repeating borders of heart-shaped and circular motifs. The box is constructed with a hinged lid that opens to reveal a dark, blackened interior. The brass sheeting is secured to the wooden frame with small brass tacks along the edges. An adhesive white rectangular label is affixed to the interior of the lid with the word ENGLAND printed vertically in black capital letters.
Condition report:
The brass exterior shows a varied aged patina with significant darkening and tarnish in the recessed areas of the embossing (photo 1). There are visible dents, surface scratches, and minor deformations to the brass cladding, particularly concentrated at the corners and along the sharp edges of the lid (photo 1). The interior shows substantial scuffing, loss of the black finish, and general surface dirt consistent with functional use for fuel storage (photo 2). The internal hinges exhibit surface rust and corrosion, though they remain intact (photo 2).
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