Bidspirit auction | A 19th Century Burr Walnut

A 19th Century Burr Walnut and Brass-Strapped Writing Slope - A 19th-century Victorian writing slope finished in highly figured burr walnut veneer with wide brass strapping. The box is designed in the Campaign style with inset brass bands and corner mounts. The interior features a sloped writing surface lined in black leather with gilded fleur-de-lis and scroll borders. A hinged lid opens to reveal a mahogany storage area, while the upper section contains two inkwell compartments with brass covers, a central pen tray, and two small lidded boxes. Three secret drawers with small brass pulls are concealed behind a spring-loaded mahogany panel. The lid is centered by a rectangular brass plaque engraved TO W. H. FROM R. C. A. 17TH OCT, 1890. A small skeleton key is present within one of the compartments. No maker names or factory marks are visible on the exterior or interior surfaces. RCA most likely stands for The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art (RCA), located in the historic walled town of Conwy, North Wales, is an independent, artist-led charity established to promote and support contemporary Welsh art and artists. Founded in 1881, it holds the distinction of being the only art academy in Wales with Royal Patronage The jury is out on who WH is - it could possible be Henry Clarence Whaite (1828–1912) He was the celebrated first President of the Royal Cambrian Academy (serving from 1885 to 1912).The RCA Connection: While his initials are typically written as H.C.W., 19th-century presentation text occasionally reversed name order for registry index reasons, or highlighted his surname as Whaite, Henry. As the president of the academy in 1890, a presentation piece gifted directly ”From the R.C.A.” to him would match the high-quality burr wood construction of the item