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18th Century French Leather Books with Secret Compartments (Three Books)
Sold by Harrington Antiques
sold SA1100831
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Harrington Antiques

Harrington Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Mar 2021
Browse dealers 65 items
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    Antiques & decorative interior pieces.
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Id #SA1100831
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18th Century French Leather Books with Secret Compartments (Three Books)

18th century
Sold 7 February 2025 · Harrington Antiques
This “18th Century French Leather Books with Secret Compartments (Three Books)” found a buyer.

It was listed by Harrington Antiques. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.

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Antique Secret CompartmentAntique Storage BookVintage Book Box Ask the dealer for something similar
Description

An intriguing collection of early 18th century French leather books with hidden secret compartments, likely adapted to such in the early-mid 19th century.

Two books are conjoined by hidden hinge to the bottom of the spine so that when pulled from the shelf, the whole hidden compartment is revealed. Its partner has a front board and preliminary pages but also has a hidden compartment within. The collection comes with a further standalone volume which also has a secret compartment hidden after several pages. All volumes are bound in a tan leather with gilt borders, five raised bands and gilt stamped title panels to the spine.

A wonderful collection.

Dimensions:-

Height: 17cm

Width: 10.4cm

DELIVERY

UK Mainland: FREE

International Delivery: Please contact us for a shipping quote.

Date of Manufacture

Harrington Antiques has dated this Antique Hollow Book Box to the 18th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
17cm (6.69")
Width
10.4cm (4.09")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1100831
Dealers Internal Reference
7534
Dealers Notes

PAYMENT

We accept payment via debit card, credit card, Paypal, bank transfer or cheque. We also offer a 'Pay In 3' payment service through our website.

RETURNS

We are sure that you will be delighted with your purchase. Nonetheless, to ensure you have complete peace of mind, we offer a 14 day money back guarantee.

The purchased item may be returned, in its original condition, within 14 days from receipt. Return carriage costs are the responsibility of the buyer. For larger pieces requiring a specialist courier service, we will arrange your return for you with the cost being deducted from the refund (this cost will never exceed the original charge paid).

We ask that a trackable signature method of shipping is used for the return of smaller items as we cannot be held responsible for items lost in transit.

Should you have any queries at all, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Description
An intriguing collection of early 18th century French leather books with hidden secret compartments, likely adapted to such in the early-mid 19th century.
“
Two books are conjoined by hidden hinge to the bottom of the spine so that when pulled from the shelf, the whole hidden compartment is revealed.
Harrington Antiques

Its partner has a front board and preliminary pages but also has a hidden compartment within. The collection comes with a further standalone volume which also has a secret compartment hidden after several pages. All volumes are bound in a tan leather with gilt borders, five raised bands and gilt stamped title panels to the spine.

A wonderful collection.

Dimensions:-

Height: 17cm

Width: 10.4cm

DELIVERY

UK Mainland: FREE

International Delivery: Please contact us for a shipping quote.

Date of Manufacture

Harrington Antiques has dated this Antique Hollow Book Box to the 18th Century.

Height
17cm (6.69")
Width
10.4cm (4.09")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1100831
Dealers Internal Ref
7534
Harrington Antiques
Harrington Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Mar 2021

Antiques & decorative interior pieces.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Harrington Antiques Profile Page

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Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
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Archive I Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

18th Century French Leather Books with Secret Compartments (Three Books)

Archive II Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View II
Archive III Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View III
Archive IV Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View IV
Archive V Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View V
Archive VI Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View VI
Archive VII Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View VII
Archive VIII Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View VIII
Archive IX Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface. View IX
Enlarged Archival View
Harrington Antiques

Harrington Antiques
Telephone 07552 767190
Location
Devon
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/harringtonantiques
Verified Since Mar 2021
Items For Sale 65
Items Sold 868
Harrington Antiques
Harrington Antiques
Verified Since Mar 2021
View Dealer Info
Location: Devon, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/harringtonantiques
Verified
Mar 2021
For Sale
65
Sold
868
Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface.
18th Century French Leather Books With Secret Compartments (Three Books)
Ref: SA1100831
Three antique leather-bound books with hollowed interiors and marbled paper linings displayed open and closed on a dark wooden surface.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDecorative Objects
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian / Neoclassical
  • MaterialLeather, paper, pasteboard
  • ColourBrown
  • MotifsGold tooling, Marbled endpapers, Raised spine bands, Embossed leather
  • SizeH 17 cm (7 in) x W 10.4 cm (4 in)

FAQs

Hollowed books and book-form boxes have been used for centuries to conceal valuables, documents, and personal items. Often crafted by bookbinders or cabinetmakers, these objects served as discreet hiding places within historic libraries and studies.

Authentic period books typically feature vegetable-tanned leather bindings, hand-marbled endpapers, laid paper, and embossed gold leaf tooling applied to wooden or thick pasteboard cores.

Authentication involves examining the ageing of the leather, the type of paper stock, hand-sewn signatures, natural wear patterns, and traditional binding methods consistent with the period of manufacture.

These decorative objects work well when styled on coffee tables, bookshelves, or mantelpieces, adding texture, historic character, and a layer of curated refinement to a room.

Historic leather requires stable humidity levels, protection from direct sunlight to prevent fading, and occasional treatment with appropriate conservation-grade leather dressings to maintain flexibility.
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