Mauchline Ware are wooden souvenirs manufactured in Scotland, primarily in factories in or near Mauchline and predominantly made of sycamore. The items have various finishes in a large variety of applications. Most Mauchline Ware products have transfers or photographs of popular tourist locations. There were also finishes with tartan, fern and black lacquer.
On offer here is a little honey-toned wooden box - it would have been a sweet little Victorian souvenir which you would have purchased on your travels in Scotland.
This is a little trinket box - it is in nice clean condition. It has an image of the beach and the old Pier at Portobello. The box dates to the late 19th century - and certainly before 1917 when the Pier was demolished.
Portobello Pier opened on 23 May 1871. It proved to be a very popular tourist attraction. In August of that year, there was a public holiday to mark the centenary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott. The beach was packed and over 2500 people visited the Pier each paying one penny for the experience. Pleasure boats launched from the Pier to local attractions on the Firth of Forth. Sadly, with WWI - these activities fell from favour - and Portobello Pier fell into a state of neglect - it was damaged by fires and the metal structure began to corrode - it was in a perilous state and this resulted in its removal.
The question of building another pier at Portbello has been mooted over the years - but sadly nothing has come from any of the proposals.
The box is in good antique condition with clear images on the lid - nice and clean inside and out - and with a honey-coloured patina to the wood outside. The wood is nice and shiny. The lid lifts off the box - there are no hinges.
Measurements: The box is 6.5 cm wide. with a depth of 5.3 cm, and a height of 3.5 cm. A fine Victorian souvenir item. Listed at a fair price, given the subject is rarer and a popular local subject.. I have taken several images for your inspection.
It will cost £4.95 to post them to you in the UK with Royal Mail Recorded postage - this will be applied to your order at the checkout.
HISTORY: Mauchline Wares are Scottish wooden items which date from about the 1880s - until the 1900s. They are generally wooden souvenirs and giftware - made of fruitwood and decorated with black transfer designs. The scenes are usually of landmarks and popular towns - and spots favoured by tourists. They were very popular in their day and many pieces were exported globally.
The centre of the Mauchline Ware industry is the small village of Mauchline - which is located 11 miles inland from the Scottish coastal resort of Ayr. At its peak over 400 people were involved in the manufacture of these small (but always beautifully made) wooden souvenirs. Similar products were also made in Lanark - but most of the pieces are known by the generic name of Mauchline Ware.