Victorian accessories are the many small decorative and practical objects made during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901 to furnish homes, desks, dressing tables and the person. They include inkstands, letter racks, paper knives, card cases, vesta cases, cigar boxes, scent bottles, needle cases, photograph frames, trinket boxes, tea caddies and dressing table sets.
The Victorian middle classes had both the means and the inclination to fill their homes with objects, and manufacturers in Birmingham, Sheffield, London and elsewhere produced accessories in enormous variety. Materials ranged from silver and electroplate to brass, papier-mâché, tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, ivory, Tunbridge ware, cut glass and porcelain. Many items reflect the period's new habits and technologies, such as postage stamps, railway travel, photography and smoking. Their small size and wide range of price make Victorian accessories an accessible collecting area, and themes can be built around a material, maker or use. Collectors look for good quality materials, hallmarks or makers' marks, registered design numbers, crisp decoration and original fittings. Displayed on a desk, mantelpiece or side table, these pieces bring character and a sense of history to an interior.
