This glorious very rare and genuinely different box was made by the firm often just known as Collins but was in fact founded in 1819 by William Collins and Charles Chalmers essentially as a printing business. My Chalmers handled the stationary side of the business at that time. 
 
This partnership between the two men was dissolved in 1826 and Mr Collins was now free to operate the business on his own terms. 
The business grew and of course diversified covering most aspects of a business that dealt with many things connected with printing and stationery related objects and materials. 
 
It is interesting to note the parallels between this business and the London based business of Rudolph Ackermann as a few decades earlier Mr Ackermann started in a very similar way. Both men were very successful and influential. 
 
Eventually there were in total three William Collins the other two being sons. When the third one passed in 1906 the business became known as William Collins and sons & co. 
This is the maker of this box shown in the photos here with there label on the actual paint tray. 
 
This was a very exciting time to be a part of the world of art in Scotland with the presence of those wonderful artists known as the Glasgow boys. These were a group of very influential painters and designers based in Glasgow during the end of the 19th century and into the early years of the 20th century. These were modern artists and they shook up the art world in a very dynamic way whilst producing some wonderful paintings. Just look at the Hinds Daughter by Sir James Guthrie. This was also a time when the great Architect Charles Rennie Macintosh was producing his wonderful works together with his genius of a wife. This particular box came from that world and it shows. 
 
It has a look and feel quite different from any other and obviously a great deal of thought went into its design. To start with it is really a chunky box and I mean that in a positive way. There is a lot of space in it nothing is cramped. I doubt if anyone would look into it and say well I wish it had a such and such. This box has it all. It feels very professional it’s never going to get in the way of creating it assists and with confidence. It is made from a very nice Mahogany and is built strongly it’s not about to let anyone down. 
 
It has marks etc but that has to be expected in a box of this age. 
On lifting the lid we see the paint tray which is itself beautiful. It has a full set of old paints some of which could be original though I don’t know. But the paints are old and look beautiful laying in the tray. 
As many have been replaced over the years the names on the tray for individual colours may not be correct. This is because over the years artists choose which colours they want themselves. It’s easy to forget that paints are consumables and so do get used up. Some collectors get excited about finding a box with colours that have never been used. Not me I’m afraid. I love to see a box that has lived. 
 
I firmly believe that in lifting a paint box lid you see the best aspects of people. All that history and romance still lives there. 
The paint tray lifts out to reveal three ceramic mixing dishes and space for brushes etc. this is quite different than many boxes. It is also very useful. In front of the paint tray there is a ceramic palette and mixing bowls to each side. 
 
There is a lower drawer as can be seen and it’s quite different. 
All other wooden paint boxes I’ve seen have a brass pin that when removed allows the drawer to slide out. It is a system that works very well. Except that the pin is so easy to loose and they often are. Then you need to fiddle with the little pull handle on the drawer front to slide out the drawer. Well here the pin is captive and so is not removable. It is also spring powered as is the drawer. On lifting the head of the pin the drawer shoots out and the pin springs back into place!Beautiful, simple and wonderfully effective. 
 
The drawer contains various things as can be seen which include pans of perhaps a later date but are old and two vials of dry pigment. 
The original lock is present and works well with the key provided. 
I have only ever seen two of these boxes in forty years so it is a very rare thing. It is also beautiful and crammed with history and potential. It has had a life but it is not even close to being over. If this is looked after it will last and last. It is also in my opinion a sound investment. 
 
Approx
25.5cm
19cm
9.5cm