How to clean a brass coal box?

Dust the surface with a soft cloth first. Abrasive cleaners scratch the soft brass. Use a mild metal polish sparingly on tarnished areas. Apply with a cotton rag and buff gently.

What is a purdonium box?

It is a wooden coal container with a removable metal liner. A man named Purdon registered the design in the mid-nineteenth century. The lift-out bucket meant servants could fetch fuel easily. They managed the chore without carrying the heavy decorative outer case down to the cellar.

My wooden box has a bracket on the back but nothing in it, so what was supposed to go in there?

That bracket held the matching hand shovel. Most wooden examples originally came with a short-handled scoop used to feed the fire. Servants slid the shovel into the slot to keep it out of sight. They frequently get separated from the main unit over decades of house moves. Replacement shovels of the right era appear frequently on the market. Period brass or wooden-handled scoops fit the standard brackets.

I am hoping to use an antique one for storing my kindling and paper, but the inside smells damp and smoky.

Coal dust leaves a dark residue that works its way into the pores of wood and unpainted metal. The smell lingers in the corners. Take the liner out if it has one. Wash it with warm soapy water and leave it to dry in the fresh air for a few days. Place a bowl of baking soda inside the empty carcase and close the lid. The powder absorbs stale odours without damaging the timber.

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Antique coal boxes are sloped or upright lidded containers, usually lined with metal, built to sit beside a hearth to hold fuel for the household fire.

Victorian Carved Front Purdonium or Coal Box with Brass Handle and Shovel

19th century

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Victorian Carved Front Purdonium or Coal Box with Brass Handle and Shovel

From Y Not Antiques

£175

APPROVED 3+ MONTHS AGO

fireplaces

1900 - 1920

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Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany Coal Box

From Affordable Old Furniture

£250

APPROVED 3+ MONTHS AGO

fireplaces

Victorian Mahogany and Brass Purdonium Coal Box with Shovel and Liner

19th century

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Victorian Mahogany and Brass Purdonium Coal Box with Shovel and Liner

From Y Not Antiques

£145

APPROVED 3+ MONTHS AGO

fireplaces

An Large C19th Arts and Crafts Copper & Iron Perdonium/coal Scuttle

19th century

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An Large C19th Arts and Crafts Copper & Iron Perdonium/coal Scuttle

From Gary Wright Antiques Ltd

£1,750

APPROVED 3+ MONTHS AGO

fireplaces

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Antique Coal Boxes

Victorian Carved Front Purdonium or Coal Box with Brass Handle and Shovel

Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany Coal Box

Victorian Mahogany and Brass Purdonium Coal Box with Shovel and Liner

An Large C19th Arts and Crafts Copper & Iron Perdonium/coal Scuttle

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