As I have said in another listing these metal boxes to some people lack the grandeur or the intrinsic beauty of the boxes made of fine wood. However if they lack anything, and I believe they don’t, they make up for it in sheer Romance.
 
This box is of a size where even an elegant early Victorian lady could have picked it up and disappeared into the beautiful English countryside. Maybe boarding one of those seemingly breathing steam powered giants that puffed white smoke into an aeroplane free sky. Maybe even climbing aboard a ship and setting sail to a place of her dreams and away from the drudgery that might have accompanied her at home.
 
But in all seriousness this box comes from a time when attitudes were changing rapidly regarding the great out doors.
In 1841 Winsor and Newton launched in association with Mr Rand the first oil colours in collapsible tubes and it is said this revolutionary advance changed the world. Before this the same makers had been selling glass tubes that contained the paint. They looked like syringes and were and are a good idea. With them no air is left in the tube with the paint so it lasts longer. But they were expensive required maintenance and of course were fragile. I’ve wondered if maybe this box I offer here may have been intended for these tubes but in truth I’m not sure.
So with oil paint in tubes and also Winsor Newton’s moist watercolours the masses were set to invade the wildest parts. This box is one of those early pioneers.
 
Being made in metal had at least two advantages. One they could be mass produced and secondly they looked similar to the black watercolour boxes that sold in their millions.
The makers changed their label over time and this one is an early one.
 
Externally the box has its fair share of scratches etc in fact it would be strange if it did not. However I see nothing disfiguring, just memories in scratches and touches of paint.
 
Internally the box is good and appears complete.
It has a full set of Victorian paints a palette knife, brushes a full quota of bottles and its wooden palette.
The palette fits into a groove so the artist can use it in position as in a pocharde box.
 
It is a good set and I hope it’s new owner will use it as intended. These early Winsor and Newton oil paints in metal tubes are very good in that they contain a high pigment load. I have used many.
The hinges and closing catch are good and work as they should.
This is a very good and early set and is as usable today as the day it was made.

Approx 20 x 14 x 3.5 cm