Important and rare brass bound ebony humidor/cigar box by Fitzmaurice West dating to around 1850.
Judging by the weight (and base) the box is made using a hardwood substrate with ebony veneer and has brass bound edges creating a rounded appearance. The box has a drawers with a campaign style flush fitting handle and a numbered Bramah lock (no key).
Internally the box has a cedar wood lining both to the main compartment and the drawer below.
The box is fitted with good quality hardware and has hand chased inlaid brass plaque declaring the makers name
“F. WEST
MANUFACTURER TO HER MAJESTY
PRINCE CONSORT & ROYAL FAMILY
NO. 1 ST JAMES STREET”
About the maker
Fitzmaurice West established himself as a cutler and dressing case manufacturer in 1839 sharing the premises at No.1 St James Street with his former employer George Palmer. At some point prior to his move to No.2 St James Street in 1877, he became an appointed manufacturer for Queen Victoria and her family.
He exhibited his boxes at the 1862 International Exhibition in London where had it not been for the fact that he was a juror in the class for “Dressing Cases, Despatch Boxes and Travelling Cases”, The Jury considered it a duty to state their opinion with respect to the collections exhibited by Mr. F. West to declare that, but for the exceptional and honourable position which he held, they would have placed them in the first order of merit.
Condition
Some cracking to ebony veneer but no losses
Some dividers missing
No key
N.B.
Bramah Locks do offer a key replacement service