Is a purdonium the same as a coal box?

In practice, yes. Nine listings in ten carry the word "coal", and the same object is variously called a box, a scuttle, a bin, a depot, a keep or a fireside container. One title even puts "Purdonium" in inverted commas, as if translating the term for the buyer.

What woods were used?

Oak leads, then mahogany, walnut and rosewood, in that order across the titles. Pollard oak is named once. Surfaces range from plain to inlaid or carved fronts and lids, with brass mounts a recurring addition.

How old are most of them?

The dating runs from 1840 to 1920. Victorian and Edwardian labels dominate, with a further seventeen listings given only as "19th Century". Only thirty-two of a hundred and three listings carry a clean year, so a good slice of the dating is a period name rather than a date. Decade tags cluster in the 1880s and 1900s.

Do they still have their liners and shovels?

Some listings say so. Nine titles mention a shovel, and several specify the original liner and shovel together. Where a title stays silent, the archive records nothing either way.

Are metal scuttles included in this heading?

They are. Brass and copper buckets, scuttles and bins account for about a quarter of the category, and a larger share of what's currently listed. Samples include polished brass, copper, brass-and-copper and copper-and-iron bodies, filed by the same dealers under the same heading as the timber boxes.

How often do they come up for sale?

Around thirteen a year come to market on Sellingantiques, and fifty-four different dealers have listed one. That makes it a category most general dealers touch once rather than stock in depth.

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Antique Purdoniums

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A purdonium is a lidded coal box for the hearth, made to hold a household's coal, its metal liner and a small shovel out of sight in the drawing or dining room.