Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Book-Form Box, Stuart Tartan
Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Book-Form Box, Stuart Tartan
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Item Title: Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Book-Form Box, Stuart Tartan
**Additional Description:** A rectangular hinged-lid box shaped like a closed book, covered in red, green, black and yellow tartan and labeled "Stuart" in gold lettering on both the lid and the back cover. The spine is decorated with gilt zigzag bands that imitate a book binding, and the lid and base have a stepped "page block" edge. The interior is bare wood with a single open compartment. Inside, the lid shows remnants of old paper or fabric lining, with a few loose threads. Book-form boxes like this were typically sold as stamp, trinket, or pill boxes, and are sometimes called "book boxes" or "book snuff boxes."
**Era:** Mid-to-late Victorian, c. 1850-1880 (within the broader c. 1840s-1900 Tartan Ware period).
**History:** Tartan Ware is a type of Mauchline Ware made in and around Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland, and by other Scottish makers. Pale woods were covered with printed tartan paper and heavily lacquered. Queen Victoria's love of the Highlands and Balmoral drove demand, and these pieces were sold to Victorian tourists as souvenirs. Stuart is among the best-known tartan labels because of its royal and Jacobite associations. Novelty forms such as book boxes were more complex to make than simple round boxes, and they are popular with collectors.
**Provenance:** Unknown. Please add any known ownership history, purchase location, or family information here.
**Materials:** Wood with printed tartan paper covering, clear lacquer finish, gilt decorative bands, and a bare wood interior with traces of paper or fabric lining.
**Dimensions:** Not provided. It appears to be roughly 3.5 x 2.5 x 0.9 in (9 x 6.5 x 2.3 cm), judging by the hand in the photos. Please measure to confirm before listing.
**Disclaimers / Condition:** Good to fair antique condition with age-appropriate wear. The lacquer is darkened and yellowed in places, with scratches, small flecks of paper and lacquer loss, and some rubbing at the corners and edges, especially on the lid. A small chip or lifting is visible at one edge of the lid. The tartan color remains strong and the gold labels are clear. The interior is stained and worn, with old lining remnants, loose threads and some peeling. The hinge works and the lid closes. The piece has not been professionally authenticated, and the description reflects visual assessment only. Please review all photos.
**Value:** Estimated retail value of $80-$200 USD. The book form, strong red Stuart tartan, gilt spine detail, and clear labels support the upper end, while the surface wear, edge loss, and worn interior hold it back. Check recent sold listings (eBay sold, LiveAuctioneers, Etsy) for comparable tartan ware book boxes before pricing, as the market varies by tartan name, size, and condition. Novelty forms often sell for more than plain boxes.
Item Title: Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Book-Form Box, Stuart Tartan
**Additional Description:** A rectangular hinged-lid box shaped like a closed book, covered in red, green, black and yellow tartan and labeled "Stuart" in gold lettering on both the lid and the back cover. The spine is decorated with gilt zigzag bands that imitate a book binding, and the lid and base have a stepped "page block" edge. The interior is bare wood with a single open compartment. Inside, the lid shows remnants of old paper or fabric lining, with a few loose threads. Book-form boxes like this were typically sold as stamp, trinket, or pill boxes, and are sometimes called "book boxes" or "book snuff boxes."
**Era:** Mid-to-late Victorian, c. 1850-1880 (within the broader c. 1840s-1900 Tartan Ware period).
**History:** Tartan Ware is a type of Mauchline Ware made in and around Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland, and by other Scottish makers. Pale woods were covered with printed tartan paper and heavily lacquered. Queen Victoria's love of the Highlands and Balmoral drove demand, and these pieces were sold to Victorian tourists as souvenirs. Stuart is among the best-known tartan labels because of its royal and Jacobite associations. Novelty forms such as book boxes were more complex to make than simple round boxes, and they are popular with collectors.
**Provenance:** Unknown. Please add any known ownership history, purchase location, or family information here.
**Materials:** Wood with printed tartan paper covering, clear lacquer finish, gilt decorative bands, and a bare wood interior with traces of paper or fabric lining.
**Dimensions:** Not provided. It appears to be roughly 3.5 x 2.5 x 0.9 in (9 x 6.5 x 2.3 cm), judging by the hand in the photos. Please measure to confirm before listing.
**Disclaimers / Condition:** Good to fair antique condition with age-appropriate wear. The lacquer is darkened and yellowed in places, with scratches, small flecks of paper and lacquer loss, and some rubbing at the corners and edges, especially on the lid. A small chip or lifting is visible at one edge of the lid. The tartan color remains strong and the gold labels are clear. The interior is stained and worn, with old lining remnants, loose threads and some peeling. The hinge works and the lid closes. The piece has not been professionally authenticated, and the description reflects visual assessment only. Please review all photos.
**Value:** Estimated retail value of $80-$200 USD. The book form, strong red Stuart tartan, gilt spine detail, and clear labels support the upper end, while the surface wear, edge loss, and worn interior hold it back. Check recent sold listings (eBay sold, LiveAuctioneers, Etsy) for comparable tartan ware book boxes before pricing, as the market varies by tartan name, size, and condition. Novelty forms often sell for more than plain boxes.