Antique Wooden Soldier-come-Jewellery Box.

So back in December I announced that I was on the hunt for a vintage wooden jewellery box Unfortunately I have been so busy with everything going on at uni that I haven’t had a chance to look around…

So Paul and I (that’s my boyfriend by the way) took ourselves off to Windsor today to try and find one. We discovered some great little shops - which I will post more about another day - but didn’t really find what we were looking for until we crossed the river into Eton after being recommended a shop called ‘Mostly Boxes’.

We had just under half an hour left of the parking ticket but spent so long looking round and round this shop, talking to the guy who works there about various jewellery boxes and weighing up our options that we had to abandon the shop and run back to the car. We decided to drive to the shop and try to find parking outside, not really knowing how we were going to get across the river! In the car we hummed and harred about whether the boxes were too expensive, if they had enough space, if they were in good enough condition to use etc. We almost gave up because we couldn’t find a space but luckily we found one eventually and decided to go back and have another look…

It was then that I came across a box hidden away underneath a bunch of other things that I knew was ‘the one’. The box once belonged to a soldier G. R. Coulstock, and then to his son.

Within the box was their original fountain pen and ink pot, their army certificates, a lighter made of old ammunition, a photo of the owner and a bunch of other bits. I knew this box had the character I was looking for! From the certificates and other bits in there, the guy in ‘Mostly Boxes’ has worked out that the box is from about 1814. Almost 200 years ago!

The box, complete with working lock and key is going to be the new home for all the jewellery I have stashed away in drawers, on hangers, in boxes etc. The ink pot will be replaced by rings. The pen section will be filled with bracelets and the bottom will be full of all the big jewellery pieces I own.

Don’t worry, I’ll safely store away all of G.R. Coulstock’s belongings so that I can dig them out in years to come and make lots of money!

If you're ever in Eton check the shop out for yourselves:

Mostly Boxes - Antique Wooden Boxes

93 High Street

Eton

Windsor

Berkshire SL4 6AF