Antique 19th Century Victorian Engraved Horses Pony Hoof Pewter Snuff Box 1860

A fine antique engraved sterling silver vinaigrette, Edward Smith, Birmingham, 1839. The vinaigrette is finely engine turned to the hinged top and the undersaide, the lid is monogram...

A fine antique Georgian engraved sterling silver tea caddy, by Henry Chawner, London, 1787. Of fluted oval form with bright-cut floral borders with ...

Snuff box made in the late 19th century in a horse's hoof and horn lid, horseshoe base of chromed metal. Metal label on the lid engraved with the owner's initials MB...

These interesting inkwells were crafted in Britain between the Victorian period and early to mid-20th century. The works have been created from horse hooves, applied with sterling silver mounts. Each hoof has been set onto a silver horseshoe and features a silver top and lid. Two of the tops have been engraved to imitate real horse hair, while the third is more simple, with banded ornament. All three have been given covers, two of which feature commemorative inscriptions. One lid states, ‘The Grey/1907-1917’ — presumably the name of the favourite racehorse, whose hoof this is — and another reads, ‘Mavourneen/ Died June 29th / Aged 53’. ‘Mavourneen’ is an Irish Gaelic word meaning ‘my beloved’. The dedicatee’s age of 53 implies that they were a human, perhaps a jokey, or racehorse owner. The lids open up onto a silver-lined interior, intended to be used for storing ink as part of a desk arrangement. The inkwells are stamped, on their underside, with silver hallmarks and maker’s marks, ‘J.T.’ and ‘C & CS’. This set of three horse hoof inkwells...