I first thought this box was Georgian era... but looking at it again now whilst I am describing it I think it could well be 17th Century actually.
The main box is wood and then its has a fine leather covering which has been tooled - embossed like you find on books. This can be seen best on the lid around the edge.
The top of the lid is shaped with a centre raised part which has the brass floral mount right in the middle.
The raised part is a sort of oval sunburst pattern with 12 tapered grooves. A tent roof sort of pattern you could say.
The box base is paper covered.
The front of the box has a small brass sneck attached with a small / screw head. You can see where this has gone around and around over the years on the leather.
The lid and the base has NO brass hinges.. it is too delicate for those sort of hinges. I has simply been the LEATHER on the covering that has been the hinge. Once again anyone into old boxes will know the type of hinge I mean. The box obviously is so old that the lid has been opened and closed so many times that the leather has worn ripe and come apart.
It has done so well not to have been thrown out or used to start the morning fire in the grand aristocratic house it has been in. This box would not have been owned by a peasant. It is a quality antique even though the lid is loose now from the main body.
The underside of the lid is black stained paper.
It is really quite interesting and I am not sure what its original purpose has been for. Inside it has the cut out slots to take partitions as you find in some boxes for scales and weights or travel ink set, you know the sort of idea. It has NO wood sections inside but it could well have been sectioned into 4 areas looking at the slot marks. The back bit of wood has no slot mark. Two ends have slot mark in the middle and the front panel has 2 slot marks making 3 equal sections at the front.. put those bits of wood in and you would have 4 compartments.
The front side edge of the lid can be seen quite easy as its got a tiny bit of damage where the little brass EYE has come out for the brass sneck to fit in to keep it closed.
In collectable condition with normal signs of age and use wear. As mentioned, the lid is no longer attached to the base because the leather hinge is ripped. The fine leather covering is ripped on the edges and corners. There are some surface scuffs and discolouration.
Please see pictures for more details and visual confirmation of condition.
In my opinion this box is worthy of being in any BOX collection or even a museum display as you do not see them that often.. they have long since been THROWN out. To me it does not matter the lid is now loose from the base but I know some of you would want to see it restored so the lid opens once again. That is up to you.
Even the top edge of the leather covering has been tooled with 2 simple lines. The tooling on the top lid has a single line then a fancy scroll like scallop design which to be fair is quite elaborate... this is 3/8ths inch wide, all the way around the lid edge.
The main box wood is just short of 1/4 inch deep. The lid because of the TENT TOP design is just over 1/2 inch deep.
It measures approx. 5 and 1/2 inches x 3 and 1/4 inches x 2 and 1/2 inches....and it weighs approx.... 83 grams.