Featured Antique Cartier trinket box

Hello,

Does anyone know what time period Cartier used this mark? The box weighs 53gr. It has a velvet interior faded border light blue.

Approx value? Also, if I sell it should I leave it as is or shine up?

Thank you in advance for your help.
Lucy

Top view by LUCY posted Jan 6, 2018 at 9:33 PM

Inside view by LUCY posted Jan 6, 2018 at 9:33 PM

[GALL044228160863ERY=media, 2636]Cartier mark by LUCY posted Jan 6, 2018 at 9:33 PM[/GALLERY]

Cartier mark by LUCY posted Jan 6, 2018 at 9:33 PM

Additional markings by LUCY posted Jan 6, 2018 at 9:33 PM

 

Cartier only retailed this box. The maker was The Thomae Co. of Attleboro, Mass. See their info in this link for dates.

http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_T.html

 

Thank you!

 

I saw the reference. I wish it would narrow down the date though.

 

Id guess 1970s-80s.

 

HMM.... What are the tale tell signs? I am curious.

 

That sort of style and look were popular then.

 

Ok, Thank you. I am in learning mode. Are there catalogs available? searched the web but did not come up with much.

Again, thank you

 

Lucy, here's a ROUND, tho not that different, box from the same maker on eBay:

from:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-Ca...700303?hash=item25e9d2dc8f:g:kksAAOSwcj1aIyU3

 

Wow. Thanks!! I had seen it but was not sure it was from the same time period.

 

If you leave silver to tarnish, it can damage the metal. And the harder it is to clean, the more likely it is that you'll damage it when you DO clean it. So save yourself the grief, and give it a proper scrub-up now, to prevent any future horror.

I had a BIG silver vase (12 inches tall) which was so tarnished, you couldn't TOUCH it without washing your hands. It took me three days to polish off all the crud, and even when I sold it, my customer said he spent another day trying to clean it. The longer the tarnish stays on - the harder it is to remove. And this vase was nearly 100 years old.

 

Hi,
I used to dig cellar holes. Empty pits where houses were burned down or torn down. Found a lot of silver pieces that were fire blackened or tarnished as hell. I would polish the hell of them sometimes took a long time. I found a 1550 Queen Elizabeth I coin in the mud of Philadelphia along the Delaware River. It took a lot of soaking to turn that black disc into a pretty coin.
greg

 

Greg, the width of your experience delights me!

 

I'd use a sunshine cloth on it, in case I got polish on the velvet. Good silver ought to clean easily with that.

 

Hi Greg, do you still have the coin? If you do we would all love to see it

 

Hi Marie,
Still have the coin. Will show it after the Holiday clean up. There is too much stuff piled up in front of it.
greg

 

Thank you. You know a lot about this. If you don't mind me asking. Is there a rule of thumb in pricing a piece like this. I know I can price at whatever I want but I am more interested in correctly valuing it according to its attributes.

Thanks Again,

 

Thank you. You know a lot about this. If you don't mind me asking. Is there a rule of thumb in pricing a piece like this. I know I can price at whatever I want but I am more interested in correctly valuing it according to its attributes.
Thanks Again,

 

Thank you. I was once told some people like the patina but I agree with you. Thank you for the tip.

 

No one particularly likes "uck". If I'm selling something I often leave it as found, because as I state things I don't mess with I can't mess up.