Bauche Safe, Tribute Decor From The United Kingdom, 19th Century

Former Bauche safe in reinforced metal. It is decorated on its door with a coat of arms inscribed “Bauche, patented SGDG”, which is surmounted by a helmet and flanked by a lion and a unicorn. In the lower part, a motto is inscribed on a ribbon “Dieu et mon droit”.

This motto in Old French means "my divine right". It corresponds to the military password used by Richard I, known as Richard the Lionheart, during the Hundred Years War just before the Battle of Gisors (1198). He thus wanted to show that he was not the vassal of the King of France but held his title by divine right. The sentence is in French, because since the conquest of England by William the Conqueror and the Normans, the nobility and the elite spoke French instead of the Old English spoken by the people. The phrase became the motto of the monarchy under Henry V (1413-1422).

Moreover, the meeting of the lion and the unicorn is a symbol of the history of the United Kingdom. 

The lion being the emblem of England while the unicorn represents Scotland. Includes a handle. The key is sold with the safe and the lock system is functional. some surface wear.

19th century
Good condition

Dimensions :
Height: 18 cm
Width: 32 cm
Depth: 20 cm