James Dixon & Sons Decorative Baskets

This Oval Basket is a stunning example of the ornate craftsmanship and design sensibilities of the Victorian era, infused with Orientalist influences. Crafted in England during the ...

Exceptional quality large Arts & Crafts Sheffield silver plated Celtic revival large twin handled Quaiche bowl by Martin Hall & Co and dating from aroun...

A German enameled tripod vase retailed by Erich Kellerman. This is a fantastic three-legged round vase, created in the city of Pforzheim Germany, back in the 1900's. The piece shows...

19th Century Georgian, Sheffield Silver Plate Candlesticks, Pair Pair of English, Georgian, George IV Sheffield silver plate candlesticks. Vintage, distressed silver finish. Silver ...

Edwardian sterling silver and glass swan, ca 1920. Glass body with imbricated tail feathers. Sterling silver mount with plumy wings and graceful s-scroll neck and head with penetrati...

Edwardian Regency sterling silver centerpiece bowl. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1935. Wide and curved on raised foot. On bowl, paterae with pendant swags mounted to colonna...

1900s English crystal and silver plated Sheffield inkwell on handled tray. The tray measurement is: Depth: 10 inches. Height: 2.75 inches. Width: 14 inches. The measurement below...

Offered is a stunning Sheffield silver keepsake box dating to 1900, with associated hallmark. This small box includes a clean interior and rounded corners. The box is free of names or initials, but would have been used to house keepsakes such as jewelry or cufflinks. A well maintained, elegant piece, this antique silver box is an excellent addition to any silver collection. Trinket or keepsake boxes have taken on many forms since their first conception in ancient times. However their purpose remains the same; to store jewelry and other items precious to the owner. Originally, these boxes were used specifically for jewelry. These were in common use as early as 5000 BC in Ancient Egypt, when the majority of Egyptians, both male and female, wore jewelry. Boxes were used to keep these gemstone encrusted items safe. In Ancient Rome, jewelry was a status symbol. Rings and brooches were utilized to represent ones status in society. Again, boxes were needed for security and storage purposes. Finding early examples of these are quite rare. Victorian and Edwardian examples of trinket boxes are far more common. This is because owning jewellery was a luxury until the Victorian era- let alone possessing so much a box was needed to store it all. Fine jewelry and other items became available to the masses after the industrial revolution due to the reduction in production costs. This led to a demand for trinket boxes, which were much smaller than jewelry boxes and therefore better suited to the needs of the middle class who did not yet possess an abundance of jewelry. In Victorian households, collectables and other items of interested were also stashed inside these boxes. This is why they are known as trinket or keepsake boxes, rather than just jewelry boxes, although of course jewelry was also stored in them. Trinket boxes were produced in large numbers around this time. Many were lined with colored plush or velvet or rich wood. More elaborate designs had interior divisions and trays for rings and other pieces of jewellery. It was also common to see trinket boxes so small that they could only contain one item, such as a single ring. Ornate exteriors were created to reflect the value of the trinket boxes contents. The Edwardian era saw the introduction of new styles of trinket box. These included small circular or oblong boxes...

Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver basket. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, circa 1907. Solid well with engraved leaves. Open sides with interlaced scroll-and-leaf pattern heigh...

Victorian classical sterling silver porringer. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Bowl has curved sides and rim applied with bold beading. Leaf-mounted open scroll handle with scallo...

Edwardian Classical sterling silver bowl. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1913. Tapering sides and stepped foot. Acid-etched ornament on interior and exterior with diaper, reed...

Large Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver basket. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, circa 1907. Bowl has solid center with engraved leaves and tendrils, surrounded by pierced inte...