Not to be outdone by Hammacher Schlemmer, Richard Melhuish of Holborn Circus, London, offered a unique all-in-one Swiss Army Knife Bench-Cabinet-Dressing Bureau-Music Cabinet thing for sale during the later part of the nineteenth century. I'll confess, the dressing bureau music part is my invention. It just looks as if that could be part of the equation.
Over at the inimitable Oldtools list, there was a discussion of what the Exonian Bench/Cabinet measured and what was in it. Some poor soul wanted to construct a reproduction of the thing. There's a 1925 edition of the Melhuish catalog on display at the Toolemera site. I have a copy of the 1899 special catalog which amounts to the woodworking related tools and machinery offered by Melhuish.
Herewith, the relevant three pages from the 1899 No. 11 catalog. In time, this triplet will find it's way to the Tool Chest sub-domain but for now, here 'tis in all it's glory.
till next, Gary
