I · The Maker/II · The Contents/III · The Coronet/IV · Acquisition
Room I · The Maker
From 166 Bond Street
Asprey built their name on cases exactly like this one. The firm received an Honourable Mention at the Great Exhibition of 1851 for a dressing case, and by the Edwardian era Asprey held the Royal Warrant and struck their own maker's mark, CA.GA, on the silver of cases like this one.
Room II · The Contents
The fitted interior
Under the lid, a cream silk-lined interior holds every piece in its fitted, leather-strapped compartment. At the centre sits a miniature sterling silver carriage clock on ball feet, with a white enamel dial, Roman numerals, 'Asprey' on the face, an 8-day platform escapement and a shaped silver handle that folds flat. Around it: a silver hip flask, a silver-backed folding mirror on a wire stand, a silver-backed hairbrush and a matching clothes brush, a flat silver box with a slip-on lid, a button hook, two matching pomade pots with pull-off lids (one still holding its original pamper cloth), a tortoiseshell comb, two glass bottles with gilt tops, a lidded gilt cylinder and a screw-top silver tube. Every silver piece carries full London hallmarks for 1908, and the clock, flask, mirror and brushes the maker's mark of Charles and George Asprey.
Room III · The Coronet
A ducal coronet over the initials L.D.
Gold-stamped on the lid is a ducal coronet, five strawberry leaves, the heraldic mark reserved for Dukes of the realm, above the initials 'L.D.' Both sit just below the carrying handle, the gilt rubbed in places.
Case
Very good
Tan leather with honest age wear and some cracking; the carry handle is frayed at both ends, its leather torn at one; stitching intact, brass lock turns securely with its original key.
Silk lining
Excellent
Clean, with no tears or staining.
Carriage clock
Original, unserviced condition; 8-day platform escapement, not currently running, serviceable on request; a hairline crack to the glass at one o'clock.
Silver
Excellent
Hallmarks crisp across every piece; no dents to the flask, mirror intact, bristles and button hook sound, pomade lids close flush.
Tortoiseshell comb
Good
One or two teeth missing.
Glass bottles
Excellent
No cracks or chips; gilt tops thread on and off cleanly.
Completeness
Excellent
The fitted interior is complete and every piece works.
- Maker
- Asprey & Co, London (Charles & George Asprey)
- Date
- 1908 (Edwardian)
- Country
- England
- Hallmarks
- CA.GA maker's mark, lion passant (sterling), leopard's head (London), date letter "n" (1908). "ASPREY" on the clock dial, "ASPREY LONDON" inside the clock door, "ASPREY BOND ST" on the mirror back.
- Case Material
- Tan leather with brass lock
- Silver Standard
- Sterling, London hallmarked
- Dimensions
- 16.5 by 21.6 by 11.4 cm (6.5 by 8.5 by 4.5 inches)
- Provenance
- Ducal coronet (five strawberry leaves) with initials "L.D."
The Estate Collection
Room IV · Acquisition
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Asprey & Co
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Asprey Dressing Case, 1908
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