<p>
	The writing box was very popular from the end of the 18th C and all through the 19th C.&nbsp; It was a personal item containing all the necessary items for correspondence: inkwells, pens, a compartment for paper, etc. When open it forms&nbsp; a sloped writing surface.&nbsp; The box, usually in mahogany, walnut or rosewood,&nbsp; often has brass strapping and corners to protect it when travelling.</p>