Featured Silver What's It?

Can anyone tell me what this is? The person I bought it from said it's a toothpick case but I just can't see that.

It measures 1-3/4" wide x 2-3/8" tall when closed. The chain is 25" opened up. The only mark is the "Silver", no maker's mark. The inside appears to have a gold wash.

Thank you

 

Dance card case? Although those are usually flat.

Is that the size of a toothpick case? (Can't find my conversion site, and don't know how much 3/8" is in 'real money'.)
Could you post a photo with a familiar object for size please?

 

1-3/4" = 4.5 cm and 2-3/8" = 6 cm, does that help?

The reason I am thinking not for toothpicks is if you opened it up they would all fall out, there is nothing to hold them in

 

Agree with AJ, dance card case, or small aide memoire, the two tangs would hold the backing card of a mini note book.

 

Perfect, thank you!

True, there don't seem to be any brackets to hold a band, and those two things with the sterling mark suggest a one piece item which you slide in. Like a notebook or a dance card.

 

How about rolling papers?

 

Very pretty Marie. with the size and shape could it be for small calling cards.
Mikey
Rolling papers? Really lol

 

I doubt the rolling papers.

 

My child haunts me yet. Sigh...

 

Besides papers are a waste of time.
21st Century vape is the thing!
Lol

 

Who smokes anymore ? its all about edibles now ! I agree notebook,and Id love to have it !

 

There's something to be said for taking the time to roll a...whatever. It's almost a lost art. Many of my elders in the '40s & '50s, and then my contemporaries in the '60's and on, were quite adept; some could roll one-handed while carrying on a conversation, barely glancing at the result until it was sealed & finished. Them were th' days.

 

Matchbook cover...

~Cheryl

 

Looks like Cheryl got it Thank you Cheryl!

The inside of this one looks just like mine:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1125078264/superb-antique-sterling-silver-matchbook

 

Ladies calling card case?
I would have thought a dance card case to be designed to hold a small notebook and pencil/pen.

 

It could potentially be a matchbook holder, but matchbooks were invented in the 1890's and not common until the early 1900's. The style of the case could be earlier than this, looks more late Victorian to me, so on the edge of whether it was in time for match books.

 

While similar decoration could certainly be earlier, this particular piece, by form, would typically date circa 1920s-30s, though production, in various metals, started early in the 20th century, and they were certainly produced later as well. They're usually American or British, but were also made elsewhere, and there were other types produced into at least the 1970s-80s.

It is, without question, a cover/case/box/holder for a matchbook, not particularly uncommon, I've seen many over the years, in various form and decoration, with different tabs, bands, plates, etc. used for holding the matchbook in place while leaving the striker exposed.


They're easily searched online, here is one dated 1926 with similar tabs, shown with a matchbook:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/843580754/antique-english-sterling-silver





This one engraved '1920', with a lip holding the matchbook:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/372732721514





This one dated 1919, with an open plate to hold the matchbook:





Similar on this one from 1922:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203895790840





This one has a simple band to hold the matchbook:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/123935925441




1904 U.S. Patent for similar:




~Cheryl

 

Should mention, there appears to be a faint, pretty much indiscernible trademark to the right of 'STERLING' (and it's most likely American)...

~Cheryl

 

@Marie Forjan - Is the chain marked?

@DragonflyWink - I am fascinated by this one because I couldn't figure out how it worked. Are you supposed to tuck the cover piece behind the matches? Is the area in the lid of the one matchbook a spot to put the used matches? Do you think the chain is original to the piece?

 

There's no real need for the paper cover because there's a metal cover. Not sure what you mean about the spent matches - maybe the 'window' in the plate that holds the matchbook in place? If so, it allows use of the striker on the matchbook.

No, the chain wouldn't be original, if a bale is present as on this one, it would be suspended from a watch chain, chatelaine, etc.

~Cheryl