Vintage Tooled Leather Jewellery Box with Portrait of Don Quixote – Spanish, Late 19th early 20th Century
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This handsome vintage trinket box is crafted in the traditional tooled leather style, most likely from Spain, c.1900s The lid features an embossed portrait of a bearded gentleman with pointed beard and swept-back hair, framed within an oval cartouche and surrounded by scrolling foliate motifs. The features strongly resemble Don Quixote de la Mancha, the legendary knight-errant from Cervantes’ masterpiece.
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Opening to reveal a bright red velvet interior, the box offers divided compartments, including a smaller section with a fitted lid and brass stud. It would originally have been used to store jewellery, keepsakes, or perhaps small personal effects, and remains both practical and decorative today.
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Why Don Quixote?
As Spain’s most enduring literary hero, Don Quixote is famed for “tilting at windmills” – mistaking them for giants – and has become a universal symbol of imagination, noble ideals, and the clash between dreams and reality. His image was a popular subject for mid-century Spanish artisans, particularly in Córdoba and Toledo, where tooled leather was a celebrated craft.
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Condition: Very good vintage condition. The leather has developed a warm patina with age, while the embossed detail remains crisp. Interior velvet is clean and bright with light signs of use. There has been some small sympathetic repair to the base. There would have been a plate on the front with a little handle/hook which is now missing.
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Dimensions: Approx. 20cm x 12cm x 5cm
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A striking collector’s piece of Spanish craftsmanship with literary flair – perfect for lovers of Cervantes, vintage leatherwork, or unique decorative boxes.
