Antique Burr Walnut Decanter Box Betjemann

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Outstanding Feathered Walnut Veneer

From our Decanter collection, we are thrilled to offer this rare example Antique Burr Walnut Decanter Box attributed to Betjemann. The Decanter Box is of rectangular form with a domed lid veneered to the exterior in a beautiful feathered Burr Walnut mounted with a plinth base. The top of the Decanter Box is inlaid with a brass plaque with a scroll banner reading Durham House, the original commission for the box. The exterior is finished with twin flush mounted loop handles and a circular brass escutcheon to the front. The Decanter opens from the lid and then via the twin hinged doors at the front which swing open to reveal a deep purple and exotic Coromandel lining with a fully fitted drinks set. The set comprises of a gilded serving tray, two square decanters with faceted stoppers, a central circular decanter and 8 glasses, 4 tumblers and 4 spirit glasses. To the rear of the interior there is a retailers label for Charles Henry, Manchester. Henry was a known stockist of Betjemann design boxes. The combination seen in this particular Decanter box is extremely unusual and not one we have seen before making it a highly desirable model for a collector or connoisseur. It could be possible that the box was a unique commission for the owners at Durham house. We are unmistakably attributing the Decanter box to London firm Betjemann and Sons for the extremely high quality, design and use of particular materials. The Decanter Box dates to the late 19th century during the Victorian period circa 1880. For another piece by Betjemann and retailed by Charles Henry please click here.

This Betjemann decanter box comes complete with a fully working bramah lock and tasselled key.

George Betejemann & Sons was a celebrated British firm of cabinet makers and retailers founded in the mid-19th century. Renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail, the company quickly gained a reputation for producing some of the finest writing boxes and other luxury desk accessories of their time. Specializing in the use of high-quality materials such as rare woods, brass, and exotic leathers, George Betjemann & Sons catered to an elite clientele of royalty, nobility, and wealthy collectors, who appreciated the firm’s commitment to innovation, elegance, and functionality. The Betjemann family’s passion for craftsmanship was passed down from generation to generation, ensuring that the company’s legacy of exceptional design and quality endured for over a century. Today, antique pieces by George Betjemann & Sons are highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts alike, revered for their timeless beauty and historical significance.

Burr Walnut also known as figured Walnut is a highly prized wood which is formed by a growth deformation resulting from stress, disease or nurturing the tree in a specific way. Burr can be developed by blocking the sap flow of the tree by means of putting a French Walnut on top of the roots of an American Walnut. Due to the unusual properties, it is rare to come across a Walnut tree growing this way in the wild. Nurturing planted trees takes at least 80 years before it is mature enough to be cut for good purpose. Burr Walnut is highly desired for their unusual grain and pattern, used mostly in veneering larger pieces such as furniture would be joined by matching the veneer pieces or blending them together.

Coromandel is a valuable wood found in India, Sri Lanka and South East Asia. It has a contrasting hazel-brown colour with black grain. It is a dense, heavy wood that is so popular it has been logged to extinction over the last few hundred years. This makes Calamander pieces even more special.

Victorian an era of British History corresponding approximately with the reign of Queen Victoria from the 20th of June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901 however, there are arguments stating that the Victorian era is actually from 1820 until 1914 preceded by Georgian era and followed by the Edwardian era.

Measurements (centimetres) 29 High x 38 Wide x 24.5 Deep

Condition report:

Good