Antique Sterling Silver and Enamel Vesta Case

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver combination sovereign or vesta case, an addition to our diverse box and case collection. This exceptional antique Victorian English sterling silver combination vesta or sovereign case has a subtly domed rectangular, rounded form. The anterior and posterior surfaces of this silver case are plain and unembellished. This antique Victorian sterling silver sovereign case is fitted with a hinged hallmarked push fit cover allowing access to the hallmarked sprung sovereign holders...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Austrian 800 standard silver and enamel cigarette case; an addition to our silver smoking related silverware collection. This exceptional sterling silver cigarette case has a plain rectangular form with rounded corners. This Georg Adam Scheid silver and enamel cigarette case has a subtly curved form offering a comfortable fit in the majority of pockets. The anterior cover is embellished with an exceptional original enamel panel depicting a female wading through a vast amount of water, holding in her hands her skirt, boots and parasol. The posterior cover is ornamented with the contemporary engraved initials 'THW.' The rounded sides of this cigarette case are plain and unembellished. Each cover features a plain rounded thumbpiece in addition to a hallmarked push fit catch, which when released reveals two hinged compartments. This impressive example of continental silverware...

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...

A stunning antique silver cigarette case in the classic Late Victorian style, dating from the late 19th to early 20th century (ca. 1890s...