LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY SPICE-BOX
Late 18th century
The rectangular moulded crossbanded top above a conforming door enclosing nine variously sized drawers each with a white-painted title, including: 'NUTMEG JAM: PEPPER *B CIN.AMO *MACE CLOUES BLUE S:PETRE.&C RICE.FRUIT', on a plinth base, the interior possibly associated
12¾ in. (32.5 cm.) high; 14¼ in. (36 cm.) wide; 12 in. (30.5 cm.) deep

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Lot Essay

The interior is fitted to take spices, a rare and valuable commodity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which were customarily concealed in a locked cabinet. The spices listed are: NUTMEGS, JAM (= Jamaica); PEPPER, *B (= black) PEPPER, CINAMON [sic], *MACE:, CLOVES; BLUE; S:PETRE (saltpetre) &c.; RICE; FRUITS & c. It is impossible to know whether the curious punctuation is simply decorative, however it might be that the asterisks next to 'black pepper' and 'mace' is to note their heat.

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