Speciality Boxes

Browse our collection of antique silver Speciality Boxes including Travelling Boxes, Money Banks and Jewellery Boxes

Speciality Boxes

Browse our collection of antique silver Speciality Boxes including Travelling Boxes, Money Banks and Jewellery Boxes

Circa 1660

9471 Antique Dutch Silver Marriage Casket
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A rare 17th century silver wedding box “knottekistje” with a domed and hinged cover and swing handle. The pierced body has scrolling foliage, flowers and birds. Weight 268 grams, 8.6 troy ounces. Height 8.1cm. Length 10.2cm. Depth 6.3cm. Stamped underneath with the flower mark. Circa 1660. Maker unidentified.
1669 - 1673
Johann Balthasar Sedletzky
9068 Antique German Silver Casket
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A rare early Augsburg silver box of octagonal form with hinged lid and key. The silver is very thin gauge which is typical of early German silver and is heavily embossed with fruit and ribbon design. The base plate still has the original fasteners. Weight 266 grams, 8.5 troy ounces. Height 7.3 cms. Base 16.5 x 13.5 cms. Stamped on the edges and underneath with German silver marks for Augsburg. Makers mark IBS for Johann Balthasar Sedletzky. Circa 1669-73.
Circa 1671

8260 Antique Silver Snuff Mull
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A charming antique silver mounted horn snuff box having a rising lid with an elaborate silver strapwork hinge and a silver band around the top edge. Attractive waisted shape. Height 6 cms. Top measures 4 x 3.7 cms. Unmarked silver. Most probably Scottish. Underneath there is the incised date “1671” which is probably the original date.
1675

9572 Antique Charles II Silver Boxes
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A very rare matching pair of early antique silver boxes of octagonal form, with pull off tops, dating from the reign of King Charles II. Good size and weight. Sterling silver. Simple plain form with a large hand engraved armorial within tied plumage feathers, very typical of the date. Superb antique colour. At this date boxes of this type would have originally been part of an extensive toilet service. Total weight 645 grams, 20.7 troy ounces. Height 6.3 cm. Width of top 12.7/13.5 cm. London 1675. Maker’s mark “B” – see Jackson’s page 133.
Circa 1680

9724 Antique Dutch Silver Marriage Box
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A 17^th century silver casket of traditional rectangular trunk form having a domed top with swing handle. The openwork cast body is smothered in flower heads and scrolling foliage. Bold flowers, including poppies, tulips and daffodils were very popular during the mid to late 17th century. The hand chasing is excellent. The body stands on four little ball and claw feet and has a front locking catch. Weight 159 grams, 5.1 troy ounces. Height 6.6cm (7.5cm with handle extended). Length 8.2cm. Depth 5cm. Stamped inside on the base twice with a maker’s mark (bird?) unidentified. Dutch. Circa 1680.
Circa 1680

9855 17th Century Continental Silver Pomander
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A fascinating piece of history contained in a small silver globe. This antique silver pomander of spherical form has all-over chased decoration of flowers & leaf-scrolls in low relief. The screw top unturns to release the six numbered, hinged segments with sliding covers, the interior with hand engraved flowers. The foot unscrews to reveal a secret hollow compartment. Weight 89 grams, 2.8 troy ounces. Height 6.5cm. Spread 9cm fully extended. The pomander is made of unmarked silver It is quite usual for a small article of this date to be unmarked. Probably Dutch. Circa 1680.
1688

8877 Antique James II Silver Tobacco Box
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A rare early English sterling silver box with lift off top. Simple oval shape and rope borders. This style was popular from the mid 17th century up until the reign of George I. The top has a large hand engraved coat of arms within a decorative cartouche. Weight 120 grams, 3.8 troy ounces. Length 9.2 cms. Width 7.4 cms. Height 2 cms. London 1688. Maker “RH” – see Jacksons page 143*.
Circa 1690
Mary Elliott
9630 William & Mary Antique Silver Nutmeg Grater
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A William and Mary teardrop shape silver nutmeg grater with steel rasp. With a hinged lid either side. One lid is engraved with a tulip flower, the other has no engraving. Weight 37 grams, 1.1 troy ounce. Height 2 cm. Top 4.2 x 3 cm. Spread across the hinge 4.5 cm. Stamped inside of the lids with makers mark only “ME” conjoined between pellets, bird above, cinquefoil below, in lozenge shaped widow’s shield. Probably Mary Elliott. Circa 1690. Mark references Jackson 1989 p.144.04, David Mitchell “Silversmiths in Elizabethan and Stuart London”
1690

9997 William & Mary Antique Silver Nutmeg Grater
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A charming little late 17^th century silver nutmeg grater of teardrop form, one side fitted with a serrated rasp. Each side has a hinged lid with stand-away hinge. Both covers are hand engraved with simple foliate decoration. Weight 29 grams, 0.9 troy ounce. Height 2.5 cm. Top 3.7 x 2.9 cm. Total spread across the covers 8.3cm. Unmarked silver. English. Circa 1690.
Circa 1690

10333 17th Century Antique Silver Nutmeg Grater
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An attractive little collector’s item. A silver nutmeg grater of cylindrical form, the tube containing a steel grater. The pull off lid is hand engraved with the Tudor rose and the tube has the hatched decoration typical for small silver objects dating back to the final quarter of the 1600’s. Silver weight 14g, about half a troy oz. Length 6.1cm. Diameter 2cm. Maker mark I.I. English circa 1690. Sterling silver.
1697
Joseph Ward
10402 William III Antique Silver Casket
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A substantial early English silver box of plain rectangular form, having canted corners and broad gadrooned banding. Very rare. Excellent size. The top has a large hand engraved cartouche containing a decorative cypher. Weight 1133g, 36.4 troy oz. Top measures 25cmx18.5cm. Height 8.5cm. London 1697. Maker Joseph Ward. Britannia standard silver, 95.8% pure.
1701 - 1799

8439 Early Continental Silver Bougie Box
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An unusual antique silver wax jack, or taper holder, with cut card work and flower decoration to the body. The wax coil would have been contained inside the drum shaped box. Weight 103 grams, 3.3 troy ounces. Height 8.5 cms. Width 7.5 cms (excluding handle). Diameter 7 cms. Marked on the front with an assay scrape, Nuremberg mark and makers mark. 18th century. German.
1704
Thomas Parr
10352 Queen Anne Antique Silver Tea Caddy
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An extremely rare collector’s item dating to the early 1700’s. This unique little silver tea box of cube form has a hinged lid with octagonal finial. The hand applied matted work is very specific to the 1680-90 period. The small size is due to the rarity of tea at this early date. Weight 203g, 6.5 troy oz. Height 9cm (finial), 7cm. Top measures 6.3cm square. London 1704. Maker Thomas Parr I. Britannia standard silver.
1729
Archibald Ure
9240 George II Silver Casket
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A substantial Scottish sterling silver toilet box, or casket, of plain rectangular form with canted corners. Very rare. Enormous size. The hinged domed is engraved to the centre with a Barons coronet above initials “KH”. Weight 2305 grams, 74.1 troy ounces. Top measures 29.3 cm x 23 cm. Base measures 31.3 cm x 25.2 cm. Height 11.3 cm. Edinburgh 1729. Assay master and possible maker Archibald Ure.
1733
Edward Vincent
9695 George II Silver Box
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A rare antique silver box of hexagonal form with a folding strapwork catch; the hinged lid having a large drop handle supported by ball finials. Of plain form and heavy gauge silver, this unusual box is extremely heavy. The interior pull out tray has two hinged lids enclosing six compartments. Possibly a spice box, although spice boxes of this period usually had a double centrally hinged lid, could also be used for cash or jewellery. Weight 1268 grams, 40.7 troy ounces. Height 9.5cm. Top measures 17 x 12cm. London 1733. Maker Edward Vincent. Sterling silver.
Circa 1750

9674 Antique Silver Perpetual Calendar Snuff Box
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An 18th century silver snuff box with rotating dials to both sides. Very charming and retains the interior gilding. The panels have scrolled flower and chased decoration. The top side has the rotatable “Calendarium Perpetuum” which shows the days of the week (in old German script, and marked with their planetary signs) against days of the month. The reverse side has seven readout windows described by the headings on the rotatable disk (in old German script) – 1) month of the year with its number of days, 2) the important saints’ and feast days in the month, 3) sun’s Zodiacal position (represented by amusing little hand engraved zodiac symbols), 4) length of day, 5) length of night, 6) time of sun rise, and 7) time of sunset. A good example in very good condition. 126 grams, 4 troy ounces. Length 8.4cm. Width 5.5cm. Height 2cm. German. Probably 18^th century circa 1750. Unmarked silver.
Circa 1780

9156 Georgian Silver Travelling Scribes Box
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An unusual antique sterling silver travelling case which pulls apart in 4 sections to contain pens, nibs and other writing paraphernalia. The outer case has an 8 inch rule hand engraved to the front. To each end there is an integral seal. Weight 84 grams, 2.7 troy ounces. Length 20 cm. Unmarked silver. English circa 1780.
Circa 1780

10236 18th Century Antique Silver Etui
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An attractive little travelling set in a clip top silver case of tapering rectangular form. The embossed decoration is very charming with a village scene, 2 dogs and a goose. The interior is fitted with a penknife, scissors and pencil. Length 8.8cm. Width 3.3cm. Unmarked. Continental. Circa 1780.
Circa 1800

8209 Antique Silver Filigree Casket
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A good size antique silver box with hinged lid and a very pretty shaped finial. Very heavy quality. The filigree work is fine quality and very detailed with applied flowers, scrollwork, motifs and silver balls. Weight 398 grams, 12.8 troy ounces. Height 11.5 cms. Top 12 x 9 cms. Unmarked silver. Probably Portuguese or Spanish. Circa 1800.
Circa 1800

8302 Georgian Knife Box/Silver Cutlery Box
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A handsome George III knife box with tooled leather covering and brass mounts. Fitted with a full and matching set of continental solid silver cutlery, the knives and forks with cannon handles. The set comprises 6 knives with steel blades, 6 forks with steel two prong tines, and 6 solid silver spoons. Each with a hand engraved crown over a monogram. A very usable set. Marked “13” and with makers initials “IK”. Probably German, circa 1800.
Circa 1800

9601 Antique Continental Silver Box
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An antique silver box of interesting design. The lift off cover has a finial shaped as an antique soldier figure raised on a tall column. Heavy quality. The body has a deep chased foliate decoration. Weight 533 grams, 17.1 troy ounces. Height 9.6 cm, 20 cm to top of finial. Top measures 13 x 8 cm. Stamped with continental silver marks, assay scrape to the base. Circa 1800.
1801 - 1899

7873 Antique Silver Betel Box
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An ornate antique silver box having 3 compartments with double hinged lids. The body is heavily chased with flowers and leaves and the handles are formed as a flower head and leaf. Excellent quality and weight. The tall centre finial acts as a locking mechanism and the lids won’t open until this has been unscrewed and removed. Unmarked silver. Circa 19th century. Probably Indian.
Circa 1820

10135 Antique Dutch Silver Box
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An attractive little antique silver casket in the 17th century style with a hinged lid and squirrel finial. The openwork cast body is smothered in cherubs, flower heads and scroll work. Weight 158 grams, 5.1 troy ounces. Height 7.6cm (to top of squirrel). Length 8.4cm. Depth 6.1cm. Unmarked silver. Probably a Dutch marriage box (wedding casket). Circa 1820.
Circa 1830

8410 Antique Silver and Horn Snuff Mull
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A very collectible antique silver snuff mull with a silver hinged lid and chain. The horn body is in excellent condition. On the front is an inscription dated 1838.Length 17.5 cms. Diameter of top 3 cms at widest point. Marked inside lid with a continental silver stamp – CLNU SILBER. Probably Swedish and circa 1830.
Circa 1830
Augsburg
8635 Antique Silver Reliquary Casket
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An antique silver casket with hinged lid and decorative finial. The exterior is decorated with panels depicting the 12 apostles. The interior retains the original bright gilding. Weight 372 grams, 11.9 troy ounces. Height 10 cms. Base measures 13 x 8 cms. Stamped underneath with German silver marks for Augsburg circa 1830.
Circa 1838

9556 Antique Scottish Silver Snuff Mull
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Large size. An antique horn snuff mull with a silver mount and hinged lid. The attached chain has a small snuff spoon, bone hammer and silver mounted rabbits foot. The lid has a cut out silver mount with thistles, also a silver shield with crest and motto “MANU FORTI”. Around the top rim is a hand engraved inscription dated 1838. Spread 18 cm. Diameter 7 cm. Unmarked silver. Probably Scottish.
Circa 1840

7840 Antique Silver Gilt Casket with Enamel and Pearls
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A fabulous antique silver box mounted with panels of filigree silver decorated with enamel flowers and leaves and studded with pearls and semi precious stones. Exquisite workmanship. Gilt finish. Weight 398 grams, 12.7 troy ounces. Height 6.5 cms. Top measures 11.25 x 7.25 cms. Base measures 15 x 1 cms. Unmarked silver. Continental. Probably German circa 1840.
Circa 1850

9016 Antique Turkish Silver Incense Burner
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A good quality 19th century silver incense burner with part gilt finish. The hinged lid is pierced and has a decorative finial. The body has unusual hand engraving of mythological figures on a flower and foliate background. Weight 372 grams, 11.9 troy ounces. Height 18 cm. Diameter of base 8.4 cm. Stamped with tughra and sahh marks, and assay scrapes. Tughra of Sultan Abdulmejid I (1839-1861). 900 standard silver.Turkish circa 1850.
Circa 1856

9948 Antique Silver Cowrie Shell Snuff Box
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Of nautical interest. A charming antique silver mounted cowrie shell snuff box with flush hinged cover, decorated with bright cut engraving and engraved dedication ” P. Ferguson 1856″. Particularly nice is the unusual carved shell decoration featuring a sailing ship with full rigging and the Forget me Not inscription. Length 8cm. Width 5.8cm. Height 4cm. The silver is unmarked as is common with these boxes. Probably Scottish. Circa 1856.
Circa 1860

9624 Antique Scottish Silver Snuff Mull
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An antique horn snuff mull with a broad silver mount embossed with thistles. The hinged lid is inset with a large citrine gemstone. Spread 14.5 cm. Diameter 6.5 cm. Unmarked silver. Probably Scottish circa 1860.
1880

6762 Antique Continental Silver and Rock Crystal Reliquary
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A 16th century style silver church reliquary (often called a philatory when transparent) of tall slim design with an oval shaped rock crystal container. With decorative borders and interesting applied mounts of bears, lady’s head masks and cherubs. Height 26.5 cms. Diameter 8.25 cms (top), 10.75 cms (base). Marked with continental silver stamps (indistinct) to the top and underneath. Probably Nuremberg, Germany. Circa 1880.
1880
Charles Boynton
7847 Antique Silver and Overlay Glass Casket
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An excellent quality antique sterling silver mounted box with faceted ruby glass panels and star cut base. In the style of Baccarat. The top is engraved with a stag in a forest scene. To the front there is an aperture, presumably for a spoon, indicating that it is probably for sugar. Height 11 cm. Width 13 cm. Depth 10 cm. The silver mount is stamped with English silver hallmarks for London 1880. Maker Charles Boyton.