Box with hinged lid, of plain mahogany, lined with pink paper and silk, the interior divided into four compartments to contain ivory boxes (W.21 Ato D-1985) with gaming counters, these signed by Mariaval le jeune, Paris, and probably made between 1740 and 1760

Rectangular box with hinged lid, of mahogany, the interior lined with pink silk and divided into four to contain four smaller boxes (of earlier date) in ivory, each containing ivory gaming counters.

The box is undecorated, the grain running laterally on the lid. It is fastened with a small, white metal, hinged hook, fastened on the base section through a lobed backplate to the centre of the front. The hook locates in a small, tubular fitting on the front edge of the lid. The lid is held with two white metal knuckle hinges, attached to the back of the box with lobed and pierced backplates which are pinned to the wood on the outside of the box and lid.

The box is fitted with an inner mahogany frame, which divides the box into four. The box was lined with pinky-red paper before this frame was installed. The lid of the box is lined with the same paper, which shows on the inner surfaces of the sides of the lid. The top of the lid is additionally lines with pink silk over padding, stamped with a trellis design to give the effect of quilting. It is edged with pink silk cord. The attachment of this padded panel is somewhat amateur in workmanship. The back edges of the compartments shows wear from the hinges of the ivory boxes.

Given by Miss Susanna Pearce Emery MBE

The donor of the box and its contents of boxes for gaming counters inherited them from her aunt and godmother, Miss K.M. Emery, who died in September 1952. She suggests that they may originally have been the property of Thomas Kilner (1719-1768), who married his cousin Frances Ascough (1718-1768). She refers to the 'Kilner pedigree' but there is no copy of this on the paper records, and notes that Frances Ascough is the 'blue lady' in the miniature by Smart - presumably John Smart the miniaturist (ca. 1740-1811).

In a second letter to the museum she suggests the following alternative descent for the boxes:

'1. Gideon Perigal, a French Huguenot from Dieppe, who fled to England with his family at the time of Revocaton of the Edict of Nantes, and died in England c. 1720.
2. His son, François, a clockmaker, died 1767 [this is the more likely first owner, given the likely date of the boxes].
3. François Perigal's son, also François, married Mary Ugrer in 1743.
4. Their ninth child, Mariannne Perigal, married Anthony Brady in 1810 [the outer box could date from this period]
5. Their eldest son Antonio Brady, b. 1811, married Maria Kilner in 1837, d. 1881.
6. Their daughter, Fanny Maria Brady, married William Emery, Archdeacon of Ely, 1865.
7. Fanny Maria Emery left many beautiful possessions to her elder daughter Katherine Mary Emery.
8. K.M. Emery died unmarried in 1952, appointing S.M. Emery, her neice and god-daughter, as residuary legatee, and this included, amongst other beautiful things, and without comment, the nest of four ivory boxes of counters.

Sir Antonio Brady lived for many years at Maryland Point, Stratford, and his Will is deposited at the Record Office at Chelmsford; but there is no mention in it of the ivory boxes. I think, but have no evidence, that they have been in the possession of my family since the mid-18th century.'

W.21-1985