A fine early Victorian silver presentation snuffbox, the rectangular box of slightly waisted form with curved reentrant corners, with a wide thumbpiece to the front and a presentation engraved cartouche to the top, with a surround of finely chased decoration with scrolls, flowers and sections with varied styles of engraving (representing colours) repeated all over; opening to reveal a gilded interior. Part hallmarked on the lid and body for Birmingham for 1854, with the maker’s mark of Edward Smith.
The inscription to the cover reads:
Presented to William Trounce by the Royal Italian Commissioners of the INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 1862.
The International Exhibition of 1862 was a World’s Fair, held in South Kensington on a site now occupied by the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. sponsored by the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Trade, and featured some 28,000 exhibitors from 39 countries and attracted over six million visitors during the six months that it was open. After it closed the building materials were sold and used to build the Alexandra Palace.
A Fine Early Victorian Silver Presentation Snuffbox
This item has been sold.
