Rare Antique English Musical Chinoiserie Perfume Bottle Box - Baccarat Bottles C.1890

A magnificent and rare find, this wonderful scent bottle box was created in the form of a chest on stand with gold Chinoiserie decoration on a black ground, in remarkable condition.

The box is musical and plays several Airs one at a time. The box has the original key signed by the manufacturer, "British United Clock Company, Birmingham, England"; I will add a brief history of the company at the end of the description. The box is wound at the side and once the doors are opened, the little brass lever is pushed up until a click is heard and the mechanism starts to play the first tune, one would then push up the lever again to play the second tune and so on.

The inside of the cabinet is lacquered in a deep red with gold trim with cut-outs to hold the two original Baccarat (unsigned) crystal bottles, both look unused and in superb undamaged condition.

The underside of the cabinet has a label from the early to mid twentieth century when it was re-sold by an antique clock specialist in Cheltenham, England.

An absolute gem, in superb condition, complete and working. The cabinet measures 6 1/4" x 3 1/2" x 8" tall. Each perfume bottle measures 1 3/4" square x 3 1/4" tall to top of stopper.

History:

The company was formed by the Davies brothers who had once been employed by Ansonia, one of the largest clock manufacturers in the United States. Upon returning to the United Kingdom, the Davies brothers realised that factory methods of production was the way forward in order to compete with the growing demand for clocks.

Based in its factory in Birmingham, the British United Clock Company played a crucial role in the development of manufacturing methods that were occurring in the United Kingdom towards the end of the nineteenth century. Despite their previous connections, the Davies brothers did not use Ansonia equipment; instead they produced their own parts and movements and were in direct competition with their American counterparts.

The company won a number of illustrious awards in the 1880s which set them above from their American rivals. Products from the British United Clock Company were renowned for being tastefully decorated and built to a high standard. At the height of the company’s productivity, their Birmingham factory employed over two-hundred and fifty workers, which covered more than 1250 square yards over three floors.

However, the company could not compete with the cheaper, lower quality clocks that were being produced in Germany at the turn of the twentieth century and the British United Clock Company closed in 1909.

Item ID: 35700

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