Charlotte Shaw's dressing case
Category
Toiletry
Date
Unknown
Materials
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Shaw's Corner, Hertfordshire
NT 1274780
Summary
An Irish 19th century veneered dressing case belonging to Charlotte Shaw. Exotic wood case with gilded edges, the top opens to reveal an interior lined with blue velvet containing silver topped cut-glass bottles and containers, together with a manicure set. A drawer in base is lined with blue moiré silk beneath leather cover and opens by means of a secret knob in rim of case. A mirror inside lid. Top tray lifts up to reveal gold tooled blue leather tray above a jewellery compartment. Charlotte’s dressing case was given to the Conservative MP Nancy Astor (1879-1964) by Bernard Shaw in 1944. Nancy returned the case to Shaw’s Corner shortly before Shaw died in 1950. See Thomas Jones’s diary entry (Thomas Jones: A Diary with Letters 1931-1950, 15 June 1944, p.519): ‘[Shaw] sold Charlotte’s personal jewelry in a heap for six pounds! Nancy was furious at this, and on the afternoon we were there G.B.S. gave her Charlotte’s box with bottles, scissors etc., a case of Irish origin, which Nancy took away with her, but will return later. It appears that Shaw intends to leave his country house and contents, as Tolstoy did, as a place of pilgrimage, and Nancy will see that there is a Charlotte room in it and put the box there.’
Provenance
Charlotte’s dressing case was given to the Conservative MP Nancy Astor (1879-1964) by Bernard Shaw in 1944. Nancy returned the case to Shaw’s Corner shortly before Shaw died in 1950. The Shaw Collection. The house and contents were bequeathed to the National Trust by George Bernard Shaw in 1950, together with Shaw's photographic archive.