19th Century Mahogany Writing Slope Befit with a Pair of Inkwells by J J Mechi

Would make an ideal gift for the writing enthusiast or London historian.
Item has lever action hidden compartment.
Has an oval front brass plaque ideal for engraving a message if the item is a gift.

Comes with the original heavy metal topped inkwells and notepad, modern quill and stand.Other items are shown for illustrative purposes.

Alderman John Joseph Mechi (1802–1880) was a silversmith, banker, inventor and Alderman of the City of London. He experimented with new farming methods on his estate at Tiptree in Essex.

Mechi was born in London 22 May 1802, the third son of Giacomo Mechi, a citizen of Bologna, who had settled in England early in life, was naturalised, and obtained a post at Kensington Palace in the household of George III. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of J. Beyer of Poland Street, London. John at the age of sixteen was placed as a clerk in a house in Walbrook, trading with Newfoundland, a job he had for ten years. In 1828 he set up on his own account as a cutler in a small workshop at 130 Leadenhall Street, from where he removed to No. 4 in the same street in 1830. Between 1830 and 1840 he made his fortune through the ‘magic razor strop’ which bears his name After the Crimean war and a fashion for beards, sales declined. On 10 November 1840 he took out a patent for ‘improvements in apparatus to be applied to lamps in order to carry off heat and the products of consumption’. This was for the external shop-window lamps. From 1859 to 1869 he was in partnership with Charles Bazan, and then gave up his city business and moved to 112, Regent Street.