Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Stamp Box / Trinket Box, Stuart Tartan, with Bone Knob
Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Stamp Box / Trinket Box, Stuart Tartan, with Bone Knob
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Item Title: Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Stamp Box / Trinket Box, Stuart Tartan, with Bone Knob
**Additional Description:** A small rectangular hinged-lid box covered in red, green, black and yellow tartan, with a gold clan label near the top edge of the lid that appears to read "Stuart" (partly worn and hard to read in the photos). A small bone or ivory-colored knob sits on the lid for lifting. A gilt rope or chain border decorates the top edge of the box. The interior is bare wood with a fixed divider, creating two compartments. Boxes of this form were typically used for postage stamps, pills, or small trinkets.
**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. Tartans were labeled by clan or family name, and Stuart is among the best known because of its royal and Jacobite associations. Small hinged boxes with gilt borders and dividers, including stamp boxes, were common stationery and desk items of the period.
**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 border, a bone or ivory-colored knob (not tested), and a bare wood interior.
**Dimensions:** Not provided. It appears to be roughly 3 x 2 x 0.9 in (7.5 x 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 lid shows scratches, a few small dark spots of lacquer and paper loss near the label, and a hairline crack or lifting in the tartan paper at the upper left edge. The lid sits slightly uneven at the hinge side. The tartan color remains strong and the gilt border is mostly intact. The interior wood is darkened and lightly stained, with a small white spot in one compartment. The hinge works. The piece has not been professionally authenticated, and the knob material has not been tested. The description reflects visual assessment only. Please review all photos.
**Value:** Estimated retail value of $50-$120 USD. The vivid tartan, the well-known Stuart name, the gilt border, and the divided interior support the upper end, while the surface wear, paper loss, and slightly uneven lid hold it back. Check recent sold listings (eBay sold, LiveAuctioneers, Etsy) for comparable tartan ware stamp boxes before pricing, as the market varies by tartan name, size, and condition. If the knob is confirmed as bone or ivory, check shipping and sale restrictions that apply in your market.
Item Title: Antique Mauchline Ware Tartan Ware Stamp Box / Trinket Box, Stuart Tartan, with Bone Knob
**Additional Description:** A small rectangular hinged-lid box covered in red, green, black and yellow tartan, with a gold clan label near the top edge of the lid that appears to read "Stuart" (partly worn and hard to read in the photos). A small bone or ivory-colored knob sits on the lid for lifting. A gilt rope or chain border decorates the top edge of the box. The interior is bare wood with a fixed divider, creating two compartments. Boxes of this form were typically used for postage stamps, pills, or small trinkets.
**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. Tartans were labeled by clan or family name, and Stuart is among the best known because of its royal and Jacobite associations. Small hinged boxes with gilt borders and dividers, including stamp boxes, were common stationery and desk items of the period.
**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 border, a bone or ivory-colored knob (not tested), and a bare wood interior.
**Dimensions:** Not provided. It appears to be roughly 3 x 2 x 0.9 in (7.5 x 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 lid shows scratches, a few small dark spots of lacquer and paper loss near the label, and a hairline crack or lifting in the tartan paper at the upper left edge. The lid sits slightly uneven at the hinge side. The tartan color remains strong and the gilt border is mostly intact. The interior wood is darkened and lightly stained, with a small white spot in one compartment. The hinge works. The piece has not been professionally authenticated, and the knob material has not been tested. The description reflects visual assessment only. Please review all photos.
**Value:** Estimated retail value of $50-$120 USD. The vivid tartan, the well-known Stuart name, the gilt border, and the divided interior support the upper end, while the surface wear, paper loss, and slightly uneven lid hold it back. Check recent sold listings (eBay sold, LiveAuctioneers, Etsy) for comparable tartan ware stamp boxes before pricing, as the market varies by tartan name, size, and condition. If the knob is confirmed as bone or ivory, check shipping and sale restrictions that apply in your market.