ASKETS AND MIRRORS

Secret drawers and hidden receptacles--High prices in the
Salerooms.

Among the many treasures of this exquisite period of needlecraft are the
well-known Stuart caskets. Very interesting and valuable are these
charming boxes, many of them being in a fine state of preservation,
owing to their having been enclosed in either a wooden or leathern box
specially made to contain them. These queer little boxes are frequently
made in the shape of Noah's ark. The lid being raised, a fitted mirror
is disclosed. The mirror slides out, and a secret recess may be
discovered to hold letters. The front falls down, disclosing any number
of tiny drawers, each drawer being silk-lined and the front of it
embroidered. Here, again, we may look for secret drawers. Very seldom
does the drawer run to the width of the cabinet, but by removing every
drawer and carefully searching for springs or slides many a tiny recess
is disclosed, where costly jewels, and perhaps a love-gage, has reposed
safely from the sight of unworthy eyes.

Every square inch of these caskets is covered with embroidery, sometimes
in canvas, worked with the usual scriptural or mythological design, and
in others with white satin, exquisitely embroidered with figures and
floral subjects. Those in best preservation have been covered with mica,
which has preserved both the colour and the fabric. The fittings are
generally of silver. On the few occasions when these boxes or caskets
come into the market high prices are realised. Messrs. Christie last
year obtained L40 for a good specimen. I have never seen one sold under
L30, and as much as L100 has been given.

Another pretty fancy was to cover small trays, presumably for the work
or dressing table, with embroidery. Not many of these remain, the wear
of removing them from place to place having been too much for their
staying powers. One in my possession is a small hexagonal tray with
raised sides, embroidered in coloured silks in floral design, on what
was once white satin. It is by no means a thing of beauty now, but as a
specimen it is interesting, and "a poor thing, but mine own," which
covers a multitude of shortcomings in these old relics, fortunately.

[Illustration: "STUART" MIRROR FRAME.

(_Lady Wolseley's Collection._)]

Far more frequently met with, though quite prohibitive in price, are the
Stuart embroidered mirrors, which easily command L80 to L100 in the
salerooms. They are ge