Victorian Boxes and Cases
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs.
1880s Russian Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Enamel, Gilt Metal
19th Century English Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver Plate
Early 1900s Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
18k Gold
19th Century French Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver
1890s Russian Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Agate, 18k Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold, Wh...
1850s French Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
1890s European Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver
1840s English Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Gilt Metal
1890s European Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Agate, Silver Plate
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Pearl, Silver
19th Century British Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
14k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Gold, 14k Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Gold
Late 19th Century American Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Sterling Silver, Silver
Mid-20th Century French Victorian Boxes and Cases
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Sterling Silver, Enamel
1820s German Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Early 1900s American Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1940s French Vintage Victorian Boxes and Cases
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s French Vintage Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1810s French Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Mid-20th Century American Victorian Boxes and Cases
Sterling Silver
1930s English Vintage Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1920s French Vintage Victorian Boxes and Cases
Onyx, Silver
Mid-20th Century French Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century American Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Sterling Silver, Silver
20th Century Unknown Victorian Boxes and Cases
White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Vermeil, Silver, Gilt Metal
20th Century Mexican Victorian Boxes and Cases
Malachite, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Boxes and Cases
Crystal, Gold, Bronze
19th Century Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1890s German Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century British Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
1870s German Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Sterling Silver
19th Century British Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century Swiss Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
18k Gold, Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century British Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Boxes and Cases
Silver
20th Century British Victorian Boxes and Cases
Sterling Silver