A silver box is any small container made of silver, designed to hold snuff, tobacco, cigarettes, cards, pills, stamps, patches, sweets, jewellery, trinkets or toiletries. Boxes are among the most popular fields of silver collecting, since they combine fine craftsmanship, wide variety and practicality in a small compass.
The great age of silver boxes in Britain ran from the eighteenth to the early twentieth century. Birmingham became the leading centre for small silver, known as toys, and makers such as Nathaniel Mills, Joseph Willmore and Samuel Pemberton produced snuff boxes, vinaigrettes and card cases of outstanding quality, some decorated with views of castles and cathedrals. Victorian and Edwardian silversmiths added cigarette boxes, stamp boxes, vesta cases and dressing-table boxes, often with engine-turned or embossed decoration. Collectors look for crisp hallmarks on the base and lid, good hinges that close neatly, original gilding to interiors, and decoration that is sharp rather than worn. Dents, splits, repaired hinges and erased engraving reduce value, while presentation inscriptions can add interest. Displayed together on a table or in a cabinet, a collection of silver boxes makes an attractive and personal arrangement.
