Over the weekend, Matthews auctioneers in County Meath, Ireland, is offering for sale an “antique carved ivory ladies’ companion in scarlet lined leather upholstered carry box with inset bevelled glass panel”. “It is a beautiful piece, which comes from one of the well-known Anglo-Irish families,” auctioneer Damien Matthews told the Irish Times. She would have got the box carved for it – there’s a stamp on the lock with the name of an Irish locksmith.”The Irish device is far from the only example of the Victorian-era interest in such matters. Matthews says the ladies’ companion being offered for sale “is a great rarity”. You do get the Victorian era massagers every so often that come up for auction, but nothing like this.

Source: The Guardian April 22, 2017 00:42 UTC