Bench - Boot Remover Ladder - Walnut - Secret Compartment





Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 135815 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Victorian Descalzadora Escalera in solid walnut wood with textile upholstery on two steps, originating from the United Kingdom, dated to 1850–1900, antique style with a secret ceramic interior compartment, dimensions 42 × 42 × 40 cm, in used good condition with minor signs of age.
Description from the seller
It is a Victorian-style shoe- and step-ladder from the late 19th century, and what immediately stands out is that quintessentially English blend of domestic practicality and ornamental delicacy. The piece combines practical function — climbing a step to reach a high bed or sit to undress — with a decorative taste typical of bourgeois interiors of the era.
The structure is made of solid wood with a reddish, polished finish, very typical of late Victorian furniture. The two steps are upholstered with artisanal textile: a light background embroidered with blue flowers and green leaves, an intimate, domestic detail that softens the furniture’s solidity and brings it closer to the feminine universe of the 19th-century bedroom. That embroidery is not a mere ornament; it is a gesture of care, of home, of hands that worked to beautify the everyday.
The most singular feature is the ceramic interior compartment, a characteristic not common but coherent with the period. These ceramic cavities were used to store delicate objects, perfumes, small grooming tools, or even to keep certain products cool. The ceramic protected against moisture and contributed to hygiene, something highly valued in dressing tables and bedrooms.
The whole rests on small turned legs, discreet but elegant, which elevate the piece and give it visual lightness. The overall silhouette is compact, balanced, with that air of a piece designed to accompany daily routines without imposing itself, yet clearly signaling its refinement.
Within the Victorian style, it fits the more domestic and ornamental vein: a taste for detail, noble materials, handmade embroidery, and functionality wrapped in charm.
Certified shipping and good packaging.
Seller's Story
It is a Victorian-style shoe- and step-ladder from the late 19th century, and what immediately stands out is that quintessentially English blend of domestic practicality and ornamental delicacy. The piece combines practical function — climbing a step to reach a high bed or sit to undress — with a decorative taste typical of bourgeois interiors of the era.
The structure is made of solid wood with a reddish, polished finish, very typical of late Victorian furniture. The two steps are upholstered with artisanal textile: a light background embroidered with blue flowers and green leaves, an intimate, domestic detail that softens the furniture’s solidity and brings it closer to the feminine universe of the 19th-century bedroom. That embroidery is not a mere ornament; it is a gesture of care, of home, of hands that worked to beautify the everyday.
The most singular feature is the ceramic interior compartment, a characteristic not common but coherent with the period. These ceramic cavities were used to store delicate objects, perfumes, small grooming tools, or even to keep certain products cool. The ceramic protected against moisture and contributed to hygiene, something highly valued in dressing tables and bedrooms.
The whole rests on small turned legs, discreet but elegant, which elevate the piece and give it visual lightness. The overall silhouette is compact, balanced, with that air of a piece designed to accompany daily routines without imposing itself, yet clearly signaling its refinement.
Within the Victorian style, it fits the more domestic and ornamental vein: a taste for detail, noble materials, handmade embroidery, and functionality wrapped in charm.
Certified shipping and good packaging.

