Antique Solid Silver Victorian Gilt Table Snuff Box with Original Fitted Box - Charles Rawlings & William Summers 1854

Description and Details 

We are delighted to offer this fabulous large and majestic Victorian solid silver gilt snuff box with the maker's mark of Charles Rawlings & William Summers, London 1854.Delightfully and slightly humorously, this snuff box is boxed in its original fitted box from the Victorian period which not only furthers its desirability from a collective standpoint but also acts as a time capsule, showing how valuable and treasured these snuff boxes were. Even to the untrained eye, this snuff box exuberates opulence and importance with its fully gilt exterior (layer of gold on top of solid silver) and profuse hand-engraved decorations and name list. 

The entire box is of substantial weight and quality with the top lid featuring an array of splendid acanthus and foliate motifs with a central cartouch that is monogrammed. The rather tall and 'chunky' proportion allows for the sides of the box to be equally embellished and each corner is elegantly rounded and scalloped.

On the base of the box, a list of the names of the trustees are listed incredibly finely which displays the impressive skill of engravers back in the day. Although the macro photos allow us to view the lettering up close, it is further apparent how impressive this is in person whereby you can truly appreciate how finely the names have been engraved in a space of less than 5cm. The interior of the snuff box is equally marvellous with an additional fully gilt surface with a beautiful rich gold tone. The layer of gold not only acts as an accent to the silver exterior but prevents the contents inside from tarnishing the silver. The interior lid has also been engraved with a presentation engraving with bolder and larger lettering. 

Whilst this box would undoubtedly make a fine addition to a snuff box collection, in the modern day, such boxes could also be used to store small items, mints and pills in addition to the traditional snuff (tobacco) that would have been stored within. A full set of English hallmarks are present on the interior lid/base of the box.    

*Please note: all images with other items are for display purposes only, this listing is for the single snuff box only. 

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