An Antique Writing Etui C.1760.

A most beautiful and rare antique writing Etui. European C.1760.

The fitted Shagreen and Silver Pique work case fitted with Silver mounted bottles and accessories, (unmarked). The Ink bottle retaining its original cork under the cap, a pounce pot with a slightly concave pierced grill and a reeded nib holder with sliding collar to push out a pencil.

Four screw on nibs and a most exquisite tapering Rock Crystal desk seal, with silver suspension ring, the seal with intaglio carving of a classical bearded mans head to Dexter.

The interior lid and cavities to receive the ink and pounce pot lined with the original deep red velvet.

The pounce pot was used for centuries as a vital part of the writing process. It was a small container with holes on top (somewhat like a large salt shaker). It contained pounce -- a powdered substance made from cuttlefish bone or gum sandarac. When the writing was finished, pounce was sprinkled over the paper to keep the ink from spreading. Parchment and uncalendered paper (that is, not smoothed and glazed between rollers or plates) did not absorb ink well. So pounce was a necessity in keeping writing legible.

In this particular period piece, the pounce had to be poured back through the holes after use. By the 1760s, the holes were concave in shape to make the pouring back into the pot easier.

Stock # 2451 -- Date : C.1760 -- Size: 75mm x 45mm x 43mm -- Price: £3,000.00