This little writing box had been stored away for a long time, unused, and suffering from various issues that needed resolving: the existing brass was tarnished and damaged, some were completely missing, the walnut timber was dry and dull, the leather on the writing support was torn and split.
Some of the timber elements inside were so old and had not been used in such a long time that they couldn’t be pried open.
We replaced the missing brass on the right hand side of the lid, then cleaned up and polished all the brass work on the box.
The customer choose the type of leather he preferred from a specialist company. We then trimmed and glued it in place adding a gusset of thin canvas between the leather and the wooden slopes hinged section to strengthen the folding area.
The secret compartment containing three small draws had seized preventing access; the spring mechanism was broken in two. We repaired the spring and opening mechanism, allowing access for the first time in many decades. (Sadly, we didn’t find any treasure in the little drawers hidden behind the secret door).
After extensive refinishing and cosmetic repairs both inside and out, we applied several coats of danish oil to bring back the natural beauty of the walnut grain.
