ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 11

Vinaigrettes, Snuffs

& Vestas By George Johnson

With silver bullion soaring to high prices over the last

couple of years many antique items are being bought

for solely for their metal content and ending up in the melting

pot. This does worry many in the trade as well as collectors,

as some wonderful items have been lost without any regard

given to their history or importance or their value as part of

our heritage. One area of the silver market that seems to be

bucking this trend is small high quality items which can

achieve prices far higher than their mere silver content. Three

types of item that fall into this area are small silver snuff

boxes, vinaigrettes and vesta cases.

You can trace the simple vinaigrette box back to pomanders

which take their name from the French ‘pomme d’ambre’.

They were used during the Middle Ages to keep diseases like

the pox or plague at bay or even just to relieve bad smells.

They were usually made in a spherical form out of gold or

silver with a pierced exterior to allow the smell from solid

perfumes, herbs or aromatics to escape, and were carried by

the noble classes. During Tudor times the pomander evolved

into the pouncet box which was a large box made from silver

or gold containing a sponge soaked in a strong vinegar solution

which gave off vapours which are released through a pierced

lid. These items where in wide use with even Henry VIII

regularly using one in the Royal Court.

However with time more potent aromatic vinegars were

produced which had the desired effect but took up much less

room. By the eighteenth century the vinaigrette as we

recognise it became widely used. These normally take the form

of a small box with a hinged lid which, when opened reveals a

pierced inner lid which would hold a small sponge that would

be soaked in an aromatic vinegar solution.

In the early part of the century these items were carried

equally by both sexes, but as time progressed the use by men

subsided and they became the preserve of the upper class lady,

who would take a sniff whenever she started to feel faint,

whether it was from a surge of emotion or even from wearing

a tight corset or bodice! The market in vinaigrettes can be very

strong as was recently proved by a sale of a private collection

at Lawrence’s Auction in Crewkerne which was held in April.

The prices reached on the day were truly spectacular. A rare

skull shaped vinaigrette with an articulated jaw from 1871,

which carried the marks of the retailer W. Barker, who traded

from his premises on New Bond Street, London. It reached an

amazing £7,800 from having an estimate of only £3,000 to

£4,000.

Other vinaigrettes reached amazing prices on the day. Some

fine examples featured images of famous British monuments

and buildings in relief, by the well known Victorian silversmith

Nathaniel Mills. These fetched prices well over estimate.

These included University Church of St. Mary The Virgin,which achieved a very respectable £6,600, and one depicting

Bath Abbey smashed its estimate of £1,200 to £1,500 when it

made a breathtaking £6,000. With prices like this being

achieved it is little wonder that the collecting world is sitting

up and taking notice. The great thing about vinaigrettes is there

Silver

Fig 1. George III silver vinaigrette ofcurved form, feather and beadengraved, gilt lined, with piercedgrille and sponge, Birmingham 1811,1.25in wide. Tring Market Auctions,Herts. May 10. HP: £90. ABP: £106.

Fig 4. Victorian novelty silver snuffbox modelled as a hobby horse, withwrigglework decoration, theremovable head with concealedspoon, maker Saunders & Shepherd,Chester 1900, RD no. 366450, 2in.Gorringes, Lewes. Dec 04. HP:£520. ABP: £612.

Fig 2. 19thC continental silver giltmounted enamelled vinaigrettepainted with figures in a landscape,0.75in. Gorringes, Lewes. Feb 11.HP: £260. ABP: £306.

Fig 5. Antique silver snuff box by‘T.B’, approx 70 x 40mm, ornatepattern to base & hinged lid, mono-grammed in centre, with some slightdents, h/m Birmingham 1905. (1.97oz)A F Brock & Co Ltd, Stockport. Nov09. HP: £65. ABP: £76.

Fig 3. Rare Victorian silver engravedtop vinaigrette, of serpentine rectan-gular form, the lid decorated with aview of Clifton Suspension Bridge,maker Nathaniel Mills, London1846, 1.5in. Gorringes, Lewes. Apr08. HP: £3,000. ABP: £3,529.

Fig 6. Victorian novelty silver sentrybox vesta case enamelled with aGuardsman, 2.25in, makers S Mordan& Co, 1890. Gorringes, Lewes. Apr01. HP: £3,000. ABP: £3,529.

Fig 7. French silver and enamelvesta case, the enamels in imitationof a pencil, 7.4cm long within afitted case signed Johannel, Paris.Rosebery’s, London. June 03. HP:£1,600. ABP: £1,882.

Fig 8. Antique silver vesta case,approx 50 x 35mm, ornate patternwith plain quarter section, hingeneeds attention, h/m Birmingham1902, attached to graduated curbsingle Albert chain, approx 11in,base swivel fastener. (gross 1.65oz) AF Brock & Co Ltd, Stockport. Feb10. HP: £20. ABP: £24.

The prices quoted are actual Hammer

Prices (HP) followed by the

Approximate Buyer’s Price (ABP)

which includes an average buyer’s

premium of 15% + VAT.

ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 11

are many out there which can still be picked up for between

£60 and £150 so it is a worthwhile area perfect for the new

collector who can still start a fine collection with some very

affordable examples. A look back over past auction results

reveals some little gems.

Fig 1. This example was sold in May 2010, at Tring Market

Auction. It is a fine example of a George III vinaigrette. It was

1.25 inches wide and in a curved form with a feather and bead

engraved design, gilt lined with a pierced grille and sponge,

carrying hallmarks for Birmingham, 1811. It sold for a very

modest hammer price of £90.

Fig 2. Another nice example of an enamelled vinaigrette.

This dates to the nineteenth century and is a Continental silver

gilt with enamelled figures in a landscape scene. It was sold by

Gorringes in Lewes in February 2011 for a hammer price of

£260.

Fig 3. This is a great example of the top end of the market in

vinaigrettes. It is a rare Victorian silver vinaigrette. The lid is

decorated with a view of Clifton Suspension Bridge and carries

the maker’s mark of Nathaniel Mills of London and dates to

1846. When sold by Gorringes of Lewes in April 2008 it

achieved a remarkable hammer price of £3,000.

Snuff boxes are another area of the market where bargains

can still be found, but high prices can also be achieved at

auction. Snuff is a powdered form of smokeless tobacco that is

inhaled via the nose and its use can be dated back to at least the

fifteenth century. The use of snuff spread to Europe during the

seventeenth century and reached its peak in popularity in the

eighteenth century, especially with the social élite, with such

famous people as Napoleon and Pope Benedict XIII regular

snuff users.

Snuff will dry out if exposed to the air so it became

fashionable to carry it around in little airtight boxes and

containers made from various materials including gold, silver

and horn. These little snuff containers can vary from the very

simple to the truly exquisite. Examples were adorned with all

manner of carvings and jewels or even in elaborate shapes or

forms. As with vinaigrettes quality can vary and you should

always buy the best you can afford if you are to realise in the

longer term the best return on your investment. Snuff boxes can

vary in price from a few pounds to a few thousand pounds or

more for very fine examples.

Fig 4. This Victorian novelty silver snuff box carries the

maker’s mark for Saunders and Shepherd and a Chester

hallmark for 1900. It is in the shape of a hobby horse with

wriggle work decoration. When the head is removed it reveals

a concealed spoon. It was sold at an auction held by Gorringes

in Lewes in December 2004 for £612 including premium. Snuff

items which are a bit different or even quirky will always do

better at auction than plain and simple ones.

Fig 5. At the other end of the market is this little 70mm x

40mm silver snuff box sold by A.F Brock & Co of Stockport,

November 2009. It was hallmarked for Birmingham in 1905

and had the maker’s mark ‘T.B’. This is very traditional in

design with an ornate engraved pattern and a hinged lid

monogrammed in the centre. Even though it carried a few dents

it managed to fetch a final buyer’s price of £76.

Vesta cases are small items used to carry matches around and

are named after the Vesta Match Company who were an early

manufacture of the ‘short strike anywhere’ match they were

designed to carry. The company had taken the inspiration for

their name from the Goddess Vesta who was the Roman God of

Fire and Hearth. These small boxes started to come into use in

the early part of the nineteenth century when people needed to

carry matches for many uses including lighting lanterns, lights,

stoves as well as cigarettes and cigars. There use continued

well into the twentieth century. It was the rising popularity of

the safety match which eventually signalled the end for the

vesta case and there use had all but died out by the 1930s.

Vesta cases can come in many different forms and styles and

were made from a wide selection of materials including silver,

gold, vulcanite, bone, ivory and many more materials and can

range in style from very plain or novelty based to highly

jewelled examples. Most examples feature a hinged lid or side

that opens and a small ribbed part to the body for striking the

match. Prices for vesta cases can start from a few pounds

upwards with very high prices being achievable for fine

examples or for unusual styles. For example vesta cases in the

shape or form of another type of object such as the two

examples below.

Fig 6. This Victorian vesta case was made by S Moran &

Co. in 1890 and sold by Gorringes of Lewes in April 2001. It is

a great demonstration how unusual vestas can achieve high

sums. This 2.25 inch case, in the shape of a sentry box with an

enamelled Guardsman on the front, sold for a hammer price of

£3,000.

Fig 7. One of my personal favourites is this French vesta

case sold in June 2003 by Rosebery’s in London. It is manufac-

tured from French silver with enamel work which gives it the

illusion of being a pencil, measuring 7.4cm and signed

‘Johannel, Paris’. It is a good example of the high quality of

some vesta cases. It was still in its original fitted case which

must have played some part in it achieving the very acceptable

hammer price of £1,600 on the day.

Fig 8. This vesta case proves the point that you can pick up

bargains in this area. It was made in Birmingham in 1902 and

is in need of some attention. However when you consider this

50mm x 35mm case is attached to an 11 inch silver albert chain

you might be surprised when I tell you it was sold by A F

Brock & Co Ltd of Stockport in February 2010 for the very

low hammer price of £20. If you consider it weighed 1.65oz

you might realise just how much of a bargain you might find at

auction.

With all the objects we have discussed one feature seems to

raise their value. A scene of a building or event, whether

engraved or enamelled ensures that this type can achieve some

of the higher prices, so it is always worth looking out for finely

engraved or enamelled examples. On the other hand initialled

items are not valued unless they can be connected with a well

known owner.

When buying any small silver items with enamel work you

need to be wary of the many fakes circulating on the market.

These have fooled a number of dealers and collectors alike and

have even been sold through reputable auction houses. The

enamels are added to earlier silver items so can be hard for the

amateur to spot. Some are not even enamel but lithographs.

When buying small enamelled silver items including vinai-

grettes and snuff boxes caution must be used. For more infor-

mation refer to page 30 of our May/June 2011 edition.

Silver

ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 11

Mid 18thC French gold andenamelled oval table snuffbox, ‘jewelled’ borders, poly-chrome enamelled foliatedecoration and oval portraitmedallions with wreathborders, blue enamelledground, maker’s mark ECbelow a crowned fleur de lys,2.5in. Gorringes, Lewes. Feb10. HP: £4,600. ABP: £5,428.

Scottish pebble/gold vinai-grette, unmarked, Marshall& Sons of Edinburgh, mid19thC, as an oval barrel withdifferent coloured hardstonestaves, mounts scroll foliateengraved, lid set with oval-cut Cairngorm, interior withscroll pierced grille above asilver-gilt lining plate, cork-mounted stopper, in originalcase, 5.5cm high. MatthewBarton Ltd, London. Nov 10.HP: £2,200. ABP: £2,596.

George III silver ‘Nelson’vinaigrette, Matthew Linwood,Birmingham, 1805, engravedlid with the portrait bust ofAdmiral Lord Nelson in anoval cartouche, gilt interiorwith die-stamped grille titled‘VICTORY’ above depictionof the famous vessel and thelegend ‘TRAFALGAR / OCR.21. 1805’, 3cm long. MatthewBarton Ltd, London. Nov 10.HP: £2,000. ABP: £2,360.

19thC Continental gold snuffbox modelled as a book, finecannetile work decoration,apparently unmarked, 2in,41g. Gorringes, Lewes. Feb11. HP: £1,500. ABP: £1,770.

Golden Jubilee commemo-rative vesta box, with enamelEpsom Downs to VictoriaFirst Class rail ticket No.0906, maker’s mark forSampson & Mordan, 2.25inlong. Tring Market Auctions,Herts. Oct 10. HP: £1,280.ABP: £1,510.

Unusual George III parcelgilt silver Egyptianesquesnuff box, engraved withwinged sphinx, serpents andcrocodile, maker, WilliamEdwards, London, 1806,2.75in. Gorringes, Lewes. Mar10. HP: £700. ABP: £826.

HMS Pallas, silver snuff boxinscribed: A Token ofGratitude from the Officersof H.M. Ship Pallas, to theDuchess of Roxburgh andJohn Manners Esq. for theirunited efforts in saving theLives of the Officers and Crewof that Ship, which waswrecked near Broxmouth thenight of the 18th December1810, gilt-lined interior withLondon hallmarks 1810-11,3in dia. Charles Miller Ltd,London. Apr 11. HP: £650.ABP: £767.

Victorian silver hallmarkedvinaigrette, serpentine rect-angular form decorated withdomestic lake scene, approx1ozt, 5 x 2.8 x 1cm. GeorgeKidner Auctions, Swindon. Aug10. HP: £620. ABP: £731.

Victorian silver ‘Castle Top’vinaigrette, Nathaniel Mills,London, 1838, with a reliefview of Windsor Castle, stifflead borders, reeded sidesand engine-turned base, giltinterior with scroll foliategrille3.8cm wide. MatthewBarton Ltd, London. Nov 10.HP: £600. ABP: £708.

Victorian silver vinaigrette,Nathaniel Mills, Birmingham,1853, with engraved plaiddecoration, lid applied with agilded shield initialled MB,gilt interior, scroll piercedgrille, 3.5cm wide. MatthewBarton Ltd, London. Nov 10.HP: £480. ABP: £566.

Victorian silver vinaigrette,shaped rectangular form,with scrolling decoration andgrille, Nathaniel Mills,Birmingham 1844. RichardWinterton, Lichfield. Mar 10.HP: £420. ABP: £495.

Victorian engraved silversnuff box, with inscriptionrelating to the CoxlodgeColliery, CWS Deakin,Birmingham, 1855, 3.25in.Gorringes, Lewes. Oct 10.HP: £420. ABP: £495.

Silver gilt and agate snuffbox, unmarked, probablyScottish, c1820, bevelledmottled brownish agate lid &base, sides engine-turned &engraved with armorials,moulded rims, foliate thumb-piece, 9cm wide. MatthewBarton Ltd, London. Nov 10.HP: £420. ABP: £495.

Mid 19thC Russian 84 zolo-tnik silver/niello snuff box,lid decorated with a view ofthe Peter and Paul Fortress?,assay master, L. Avdyeyev,Moscow, 1857, master AC,2.5in. Gorringes, Lewes. Mar11. HP: £420. ABP: £495.

Late Victorian vesta case,maker probably LawrenceEmanuel, Birmingham 1886,fascia enamelled with a dog’shead, with strike to base, 1.5x 1in. Hartleys, Ilkley. Mar11. HP: £390. ABP: £460.

William IV silver gilt rectan-gular vinaigrette, NathanielMills, pierced foliate grille,Birmingham, 1834, 1.5in.Gorringes, Lewes. Feb 10.HP: £360. ABP: £424.

Edwardian silver combi-nation cigar cutter, full/halfsovereign and vesta case,maker, John Collard Vickery,Birmingham, 1905, 2.25in.Gorringes, Lewes. Feb 10.HP: £360. ABP: £424.

Early Victorian engravedsilver vinaigrette, NathanielMills, chequered decoration,pierced floral grille,Birmingham, 1840, 1.75in.Gorringes, Lewes. Mar 11.HP: £340. ABP: £401.

William IV silver snuff box,central engraved design,floral borders, silver giltinterior, Birmingham 1835,Edward Smith, with note fromthe 7th Duke of Wellington,Gerald Wellesley. SpecialAuction Services, Newbury.Mar 11. HP: £320. ABP: £377.

Early 20thC Swiss? silver &enamelled snuff box, decor-ated with a portrait of a lady,import marks for GeorgeStockwell, London, 1928,3.25in. Gorringes, Lewes. Oct10. HP: £300. ABP: £354.

Russian Niello work snuffbox, maker’s mark AL (inCyrillic), Assay Master AndreiKovalsky, Moscow, 1853,decorated all over withleafage/arabesque panels,gilt foliate thumbpiece andinterior, 8.5cm wide, 100gr.(3oz) Matthew Barton Ltd,London. Nov 10. HP: £300.ABP: £354.

Victorian silver engraved‘Castle Top’ vinaigrette,Nathaniel Mills & Sons,Birmingham, 1854, the lidengraved with the ScottMonument, engine-turnedground, base with scrollfoliage & vacant cartouche,gilt interior, grille missing,4.8cm wide. Matthew BartonLtd, London. Nov 10. HP:£300. ABP: £354.

9ct gold pocket vesta case,maker Horace Woodward &Co, Birmingham 1919,(approx 28g). RichardWinterton, Lichfield. Jun 11.HP: £270. ABP: £318.

Late Victorian novelty vestacase, maker Henry Titterton,Buckwell, Birmingham 1896,in the form of a mussel shell,all over bright cut engravedwith scrolling foliage, vacantroundel, hanging loop, 2inlong. Hartleys, Ilkley. Mar11. HP: £260. ABP: £306.

SilverVinaigrettes, Snuffs & Vestas continued

The prices quoted are actual

Hammer Prices (HP)

followed by the Approximate

Buyer’s Price (ABP) which

includes an average buyer’s

premium of 15% + VAT.

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ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 11

Late George III snuff box,maker Thomas Shaw, Birming-ham 1829, flat hinged coverwith vacant panel, all overwriggle engraving, 2.25 x1.25in. Hartleys, Ilkley. Jun11. HP: £260. ABP: £306.

Nathaniel Mills vinaigrette,machine engraved, giltinterior with hinged grille,Birmingham 1835. RichardWinterton, Lichfield. Nov 10.HP: £240. ABP: £283.

George III silver oval snuffbox, with engraved armorial,makers, Phipps & Robinson,London, 1797, 2.25in.Gorringes, Lewes. Oct 10.HP: £240. ABP: £283.

Early Victorian snuff box,maker Nathaniel Mills,Birmingham 1843, all overengine turned decorationenclosing a shield shapedpanel engraved ‘JG Oct 3rd,1852’, 2 x 1.25in, 1ozs5dwts. Hartleys, Ilkley. Dec10. HP: £230. ABP: £271.

Benjamin Smith III tablesnuff box, serpentine form,hinged lid, heraldry, London1829. Richard WintertonAuctioneers, Lichfield. Nov10. HP: £230. ABP: £271.

Early Victorian vinaigrette,maker Edward Smith, Birming-ham 1843, engraved scrolls,hinged and opening to revealfoliate pierced gilded grille,1.25in long. Hartleys, Ilkley.Mar 10. HP: £210. ABP: £247.

Antique French silver cigarette& vesta case by ‘E Le Noir’Paris, 95 x 50mm, chequeredtype engine turned patternwith garnet set in opening flapat each section, gilt inner,stamped 0.900. (3.95oz) A FBrock & Co Ltd, Stockport.Aug 10. HP: £210. ABP: £247.

American stirling silver vestacase, chased with face portraitof a native American chief,stamped 925, Sterling, 2 x1.5in. Hartleys, Ilkley. Mar 11.HP: £210. ABP: £247.

Geo. III vinaigrette engravedwith leaf/flowers, gilt lined,pierced hinged grill, maker’smark for Joseph Taylor,Birmingham 1812, 1in wide.Tring Market Auctions, Herts.Oct 10. HP: £200. ABP: £236.

Geo. IV silver gilt vinaigrette,by John Bettridge, Birmingham1827, engine turned, raisedfoliate scroll borders, giltgrille pierced/engraved withscroll work flanked by 2 semisunflower heads, 3.5cm long.Sworders, StanstedMountfitchet. Feb 11. HP:£200. ABP: £236.

Silver vesta case by ‘L & PLtd’, 60 x 40mm, pull outtray type, engraved ‘Grakle1931’, horse who won GrandNational in 1931, winning at100/6 odds, back engravedsignatures of Cecil R.Taylor,Tom Coulthwaite & Robert V.Lyall, jockey, trainer &owner, h/m Glasgow 1930.(1.42oz) A F Brock & CoLtd, Stockport. Aug 10. HP:£200. ABP: £236.

George III silver vinaigrette,pierced floral grille, maker,Joseph Wilmore, Birmingham,1818, 2in. Gorringes, Lewes.Feb 10. HP: £180. ABP: £212.

Early 19thC silver ovoidvinaigrette, King’s head dutymark, other’s indistinct,1.5in. Gorringes, Lewes. Jul10. HP: £170. ABP: £200.

William IV snuff box, makerNathaniel Mills, Birmingham1833, engine turned panels,foliate cast thumbpiece andengraved with a crest of anative holding a spear, 3 x1.75in, 2ozs 5dwts. Hartleys,Ilkley. Sep 10. HP: £170.ABP: £200.

Early Victorian vinaigrette,maker Edward Smith,Birmingham 1851, all overbright cut engraved withscrolling foliage enclosing apanel ‘E T Watt 1853’, foliatepierced/engraved gilt grille,two hanging loops and shortbelcher link chain, 1.75 x1.25in, 1oz. Hartleys, Ilkley.Dec 10. HP: £170. ABP: £200.

Victorian vinaigrette, makerHilliard & Thomason,Birmingham 1874, hangingring, engraved with brightcut strapwork, foliate piercedand engraved grille, 1.75inwide. Hartleys, Ilkley. Dec10. HP: £170. ABP: £200.

Vinaigrette, bright cut en-graved, foliate border, vacantcartouche, maker’s mark W(?), gilt interior and hingedgrille, Birmingham 1834.Richard Winterton, Lichfield.Mar 11. HP: £160. ABP: £188.

Victorian vesta case, maker’smark J.W., Birmingham1897, hinged lid, appliedhead of Scottie dog, 1.75inhigh. Hartleys, Ilkley. Sep 10.HP: £160. ABP: £188.

Victorian silver vesta case,later soft enamelled panel ofa terrier, maker’s marksrubbed, London, 1886, 2.25in.Gorringes, Lewes. Mar 10.HP: £150. ABP: £177.

Victorian silver vesta case,sprung hinged lid, engravedcrest/motto: Be just and fearnot, makers GA, markedLondon 1879. Special AuctionServices, Newbury. Mar 11.HP: £140. ABP: £165.

9ct gold vesta case, engravedface, plain back. Kent AuctionGalleries, Folkestone. Dec 10.HP: £130. ABP: £153.

19thC vinaigrette, NathanielMills, Birmingham, 1853,engraved plaid decoration,lid applied with gilded shieldinitialled MB, gilt interior,scroll pierced grille, 3.5cmwide. Matthew Barton Ltd,London. Nov 10. HP: £120.ABP: £141.

Early Victorian vinaigrette,maker Joseph Willmore,Birmingham 1838, (monarch’shead William IV), blindshield cartouche on a groundof waved stripes, gildedfloral pierced grille, 1.25inwide. Hartleys, Ilkley. Sep10. HP: £110. ABP: £129.

Edwardian 9ct gold vestacase, disc form, maker’s,Arthur & John Zimmerman,Birmingham, 1904, 1.75in,12.2 grams. Gorringes,Lewes. Jul 10. HP: £110.ABP: £129.

Victorian silver shaped ovalvinaigrette, maker’s, Hilliard& Thomason, Birmingham,1878, 1.75in. Gorringes,Lewes. Mar 10. HP: £100.ABP: £118.

Victorian snuff box, maker’smark F & Co, Birmingham1850, foliate cast bordersenclosing engine turned baseand reeded sides, hinged topengraved with a presentationinscription, dated 1855, 3 x1.5in, 2ozs 13dwts. Hartleys,Ilkley. Sep 10. HP: £95.ABP: £112.

William IV silver vinaigrette,wrigglework decoration andscrolling grille, W Simpson,Birmingham 1832. RichardWinterton, Lichfield. Mar 10.HP: £90. ABP: £106.

George III vinaigrette, makerJohn Lambe, Birmingham1787, engraved panels,hinged, plain pierced gildedgrille, 0.75in long. Hartleys,Ilkley. Mar 10. HP: £60.ABP: £70.

Silver

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