THE OGILVY DRESSING CASE BY WILSON AND CO

THE OGILVY DRESSING CASE BY WILSON AND CO

This rare George IV brass-bound rosewood lady’s dressing case is inlaid with panels of intricate brass fretwork and flush handles. It opens to reveal a green velvet interior with twelve cut glass bottles. The central  removable tray is fitted with eleven various implements and the recess below contains ivory brushes and
a hand held mirror bearing the monogram ‘A’. The unusual element in this box is the secure jewellery drawer, complete with a silver fob watch, which can only be accessed by removing two pins in the front and then lifting the leather writing pad. The inside of the lid is fitted with a rectangular brass inlaid rosewood easel mirror behind a velvet trellis and leather document wallet bearing the label ‘Wilson & Co, Late W Wilson established 1817, 71 George Street, Edinburgh.’ The entire ensemble is decorated with central roundels on a turned ground with floral borders. The assay stamps are for London, 1829 with the maker GR.

Contents
8 cut glass containers with turned and incised silver gilt lids
4 rectangular cut glass boxes with matching lids
7 implements for sewing, writing and dressing
A tape measure in a barrel-shaped holder
A pair of lyre handled scissors
A tongue scraper
Two thimbles
A silver fob watch
A leather writing pad
An ivory hand held mirror
3 ivory hair and clothes brushes
A small ivory brush with a silver handle
A leather and velvet covered document wallet
A rectangular brass inlaid rosewood easel mirror

Provenance:
From a private collection.
This case was acquired from Douglas Fraser, from the ‘House of Fraser’ branch of the
family, who had reputedly inherited it from Sir Angus Ogilvy (14 September 1928 – 26
December 2004). The Hon. Angus Ogilvy was the second son of the 12th Earl of Airlie
and Lady Alexandra Coke, the daughter of 3rd Earl of Leicester. His grandmother, the
Countess of Airlie, was a close friend of and Lady in waiting to King George V and Lord
Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). He married Princess Alexandra
of Kent on 24th April 1963.

Wilson & Co were established by William Wilson in 1817 at 71 George Street and 10
Hunter Square, Edinburgh. It is interesting to note that the silver was made in London.