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ID #SA1237395
FOR SALE
£265
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English Walnut and Silk Sewing Box C1860
For sale by Shaun King Antiques
for sale €310     $337
£265
Shaun King Antiques

Shaun King Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Feb 2013
Browse dealers 354 items
  • About Us
    Third generation antiques dealer selling a wide range of large and small antiques pre 1920.
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Id #SA1237395
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English Walnut and Silk Sewing Box C1860

19th century
Description

This beautiful VICTORIAN SEWING BOX dates from circa 1860.

The BOX is veneered in FIGURED WALNUT with two MOTHER OF PEARL insets and a working lock with key.

The inside is lined in a rich coloured silk and has a removable tray.

In good condition.

Height: 6.5 inches (14 cm)

Width: 11.5 inches (29.5 cm)

Depth: 6.5 inches (21.5 cm)

Express delivery within the UK is included. Please email for current Overseas Shipping costs.

Date of Manufacture

Shaun King Antiques has dated this Victorian Walnut Sewing Box to the 1880s.

Independent Date Guide ID 09661765
Dealer's Item Date1880s
Sellingantiques Date1880s
Sellingantiques agingItem 140-170 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1880s:
Ruched silk lid panel with gilt-tooled border: Victorian interior tailoring.
Domed lid veneered in figured walnut: fashionable shape of the 1860s to 1880s.
Mother-of-pearl cartouche and escutcheon: decorative insets standard on fine domestic workboxes.
Brass stop hinges and mortise lock: original Victorian cabinet hardware.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
29.5cm (11.61")
Depth
21.5cm (8.46")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1237395
Dealers Notes

We are a family business of three generations going back to the 1920s. Customer satisfaction is what we strive for.

Payment can be made by Bank Transfer or by the PayPal button, either as a member or a guest, using any major credit or debit card.

Please contact for Inland and Overseas Shipping costs unless otherwise stated on the individual item description.

Description
This beautiful VICTORIAN SEWING BOX dates from circa 1860.

The BOX is veneered in FIGURED WALNUT with two MOTHER OF PEARL insets and a working lock with key.

The inside is lined in a rich coloured silk and has a removable tray.

In good condition.

Height: 6.5 inches (14 cm)

Width: 11.5 inches (29.5 cm)

Depth: 6.5 inches (21.5 cm)

Express delivery within the UK is included. Please email for current Overseas Shipping costs.

Date of Manufacture

Shaun King Antiques has dated this Victorian Walnut Sewing Box to the 1880s.

Independent Date Report ID 09661765
Dealer's Item Date1880s
Sellingantiques dating1880s
Sellingantiques agingItem 140-170 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1880s:
Ruched silk lid panel with gilt-tooled border: Victorian interior tailoring.
Domed lid veneered in figured walnut: fashionable shape of the 1860s to 1880s.
Mother-of-pearl cartouche and escutcheon: decorative insets standard on fine domestic workboxes.
Brass stop hinges and mortise lock: original Victorian cabinet hardware.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
29.5cm (11.61")
Depth
21.5cm (8.46")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1237395
Shaun King Antiques
Shaun King Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2013

Third generation antiques dealer selling a wide range of large and small antiques pre 1920.

Dealer Profile

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

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An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid.
1 / 9
Archive I An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid.

English Walnut and Silk Sewing Box C1860

Archive II An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View II
Archive III An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View III
Archive IV An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View IV
Archive V An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View V
Archive VI An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View VI
Archive VII An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View VII
Archive VIII An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View VIII
Archive IX An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid. View IX
Enlarged Archival View
Shaun King Antiques

Shaun King Antiques
Telephone 01953 453 285 or 07702 043910
Location
Attleborough
Norfolk
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/shaunkingantiques
Verified Since Feb 2013
Items For Sale 354
Items Sold 1,408
Shaun King Antiques
Shaun King Antiques
Verified Since Feb 2013
View Dealer Info
Location: Attleborough , Norfolk, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/shaunkingantiques
Verified
Feb 2013
For Sale
354
Sold
1,408
An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid.
ENGLISH WALNUT AND SILK SEWING BOX c1860
Ref: SA1237395
An open Victorian walnut sewing box featuring a fitted purple silk interior and a pleated cream silk panel on the inside lid.
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectSewing Boxes
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialWalnut, Silk, Mother-of-Pearl, Brass
  • ColourWarm Brown, Purple
  • MotifsBurr walnut veneer, Pleated silk starburst panel, Fitted compartment tray, Brass escutcheon
  • SizeH 14 cm (6 in) x W 29.5 cm (12 in) x D 21.5 cm (8 in)

This Victorian sewing box dates from circa 1860 and presents a wooden construction finished with a warm brown burr walnut veneer. The exterior incorporates two mother-of-pearl insets flanking a brass escutcheon, plus a working lock with its key inserted. Inside the lid sits a pleated cream silk panel surrounded by purple silk fabric decorated with gold tooling. The removable interior tray contains multiple fitted compartments lined in purple silk, complete with two small round mother-of-pearl buttons resting inside. Measuring 14 cm high, 29.5 cm wide, and 21.5 cm deep, the box fits neatly onto a sideboard top, dressing table, or side table in a living room, bedroom, or hallway. It provides practical storage for sewing items, small trinkets, or everyday accessories in a modern home.

FAQs

A Victorian sewing box, also known as a workbox, is a decorative wooden casket designed to hold needlework tools, threads, and embroidery accessories. Popular throughout the 19th century, these boxes featured elaborate fitted interiors lined with silk, velvet, or paper, serving as practical storage and a display of domestic craftsmanship.

Craftsmen constructed these boxes using fine hardwood veneers such as walnut, rosewood, or mahogany, often accented with brass, bone, or mother-of-pearl escutcheons and trim. Interior compartments were fitted with silk or satin linings, turned bone accessories, and ruched or pleated lid panels.

Authentic mid-19th-century sewing boxes feature hand-cut dovetail joinery, period-correct brass quadrant hinges, and original silk linings displaying age-appropriate patination. Look for original lock mechanisms with steel or brass escutcheons and fitted compartment dividers made from lightweight timber or card.

An antique workbox functions as a decorative tabletop feature on a console table, sideboard, or writing desk. The interior tray can be left open to display the textile lining, or closed to function as hidden storage for small contemporary items.

Keep the box away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent wood veneer from cracking and silk fabric from fading. Apply a light coating of natural beeswax polish to exterior timber surfaces while avoiding interior fabrics, and dust interior linings gently with a dry, soft-bristled brush.
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