Antique Victorian Writing Box By G.H. Radcliffe Multiple Secret Compartment

Late 19th Century Writing Box with two Secret compartments

From our Writing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Victorian Coromandel Writing Box by Radcliffe of Halifax. The Writing Box of rectangular shape veneered in exotic Coromandel with brass edging and double brass stringing to the front and lid. The top of the box features a vacant brass initial plaque frame in single brass stringing. The Writing Box is finished with flush mounted twin loop carry handles, one to each side and a Bramah of London lock. When opened the writing box reveals a dark blue black leather writing slope bordered with a greek key style gold tooling. The rear of the box houses two inkwells, pen tray and two further storage compartments, one lidded.

The writing slope contains two storage sections one in the lower half which lifts via a central tab which has the makers label embossed ‘G.H. Radcliffe, Maker, Halifax’. The top half opens via a matching tag just below a lock to secure the compartment, below the top half of the slope is a larger storage area which also contains a secret compartment. The secret compartment is accessed by pulling the partition between the inkwell and stamp storage up. Once pulled up the spring loaded front face of the secret compartment will release allowing the user to access the three secret drawers. There is a second drawer to the right hand side of the box which can be accessed by pulling the brass pin to the right hand side of the writing slope out. Note, the side drawer cannot be accessed unless the box is opened and the pin is lifted out. In the compartment’s void, a top-secret document drawer can be found by lifting the carry handle and removing the side drawer. For the tray to be released, the right-hand hidden drawer in the upper storage compartment must be removed, and the right-hand wall of its void must be pressed. The Writing slope dates to the late 19th century during the later stages of the Victorian period Circa 1880.

The Writing Box comes complete with a working lock and tasselled key.

G.H Radcliffe (George Henry Radcliffe 1835-1897) Was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Around 1865 he established business as a practical hair cutter and perfumer at 18 Crown Street, Halifax. The company had a laboratory at Gill’s Court, Halifax. He was a hair dresser & fancy dealer. He died tragically when a piece of masonry fell on him causing an injury which later led to his death several days later leaving his £2,789 worth behind (nearly half a million pounds in todays money!).

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 proceeded by Georgian era and followed by the Edwardian era.

Bramah is London’s oldest security company. Established at 124 Piccadilly, London in 1784, and today based in Fitzrovia, London and Romford, Essex. Bramah manufactures Bramah and Rola locks for domestic and commercial applications in the U.K. and overseas. We are Marylebone and Fitzrovia’s foremost Locksmith and Burglar Alarm installer.

Although the box is stamped G.H. Radcliffe Halifax, it is likely that the basic manufacture of the box was completed by Austin of Dublin and possibly retailed by Radcliffe given the various key indicators in the manufacture such as, the faced brass mounts, the brass escutcheons and overall design. Mark Goodger Antiques have sold identical examples of this box by Austin of Dublin which are available to view in our archives.

Condition report:

Good. Wear consistent with age and use.