Viennese travel companion case

A very fine and rare Viennese box richly mounted in steel on an ebony-edged birch frame. Snake handles on the sides and a central cartouche of laurel leaves crossed with a lyre all edged with elaborate pearls and foliate decoration all made in faceted polished steel. The interior is fully equipped for sewing, with elements in ivory and polished steel enriched with thread rollers. There are also fire screens that conceal hidden views of Vienna. A secret button releases the lower drawer, which is suitable for writing and watercolors.

Circa 1800, Austria

The steel is faceted like a diamond, according to the technique prized in the Russian town of Tula. This is the technique used by diamond cutters who facet stones to make the light sparkle.


On each watercolor shade we have a coat-of-arms and behind it the words: W. REEVE, with a small "m" and a small "s" for William Reeves, inventor of the first watercolor box with his brother Thomas. The inscription continues "original inventor of superfine colours to the royal family". The coat of arms affixed to the paint blocks is the same for each color: it's an escutcheon with prancing lions on the right, surmounted by a garland of flowers, and a dog at the top, below foliage. This coat of arms was used until the last quarter of the 18th century, and subsequent coats of arms were based on this model, with a few modifications, notably the fact that the brothers were no longer partners, and that their respective descendants took over the business each in their own right.