Description: This charming antique silver snuff box was made in Europe just before the First World War. It has a rounded rectangular body and a scalloped hinged lid with delicate decorative engraving and the name "A.L. Jonsson" inside the cartouche. The snuff box bears the following hallmarks: 3 Crowns (Sweden National Control Mark), the letter "S" in a hexagonal frame indicating minimum silver standard of .800 (but likely .830), the letter "h" in a circle (likely the town mark but I am not sure which one) and the date code L7 for 1913. There is also an incomplete maker's mark which appears to "ESH" or "E&H" but I have not been able to put a name to the manufacturer. The piece is in fair to good antique condition. It has definitely been well used and loved during its 111 years. The box has surface scratches over its entire body and, judging from its multiple dents (both shallow and deeper), has suffered being dropped or roughly handled over its long lifetime. The inside of the box is highly discolored by years of hard use and I have not attempted to clean it. The worst flaw is a small hole to the left rear of the piece (please see photos). One of my favorite antiques experts is fond of saying "Never buy anything that you have to apologize for." Well, in this case, I do think the virtues of this piece overweigh its obvious faults. First, it is uncommon. There is a mere handful of Swedish snuffboxes currently available for sale on this platform, compared to countless English ones. Second, this is heavy silver piece for its size, weighing 70 grams. It measures 3" long, 1 5/8" wide and approximately 1" high and feels good in the hand. Third, the design of the box is simple and elegant and it is beautifully embellished. Fourth, it was quite clearly well made to withstand more than a century of hard use. Utilitarian objects made of a soft metal such as silver do tend to get dinged up over time. Fifth, although the demand for smoking related items has clearly diminished, this silver box is of a nice practical size to store other items in it. Lined with a little felt it would be perfect as a small jewelry box. I would love to see this box in the hands of someone who will appreciate its history and its charms.
Price: 150 USD
Location: La Canada Flintridge, California
End Time: 2025-01-17T19:59:58.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Pattern: Continental
Composition: Sterling Silver (.925)
Brand: Swedish
Style: Edwardian
Age: 1913
