A trinket box is a small decorative box made to hold jewellery, keepsakes, buttons, pins and other personal treasures, typically kept on a dressing table, mantelpiece or side table. Trinket boxes were produced in a wide range of materials, including silver, enamel, porcelain, papier-mache, tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, carved wood and inlaid veneers.
The form overlaps with snuff boxes, patch boxes and bonbonnieres, and many small eighteenth-century boxes later served as trinket boxes. English enamel boxes from Bilston and south Staffordshire, Continental porcelain boxes, Tunbridge ware mosaics and Victorian silver examples with gilt interiors are all popular with collectors. Edwardian dressing-table sets frequently included matching trinket boxes alongside brushes and scent bottles. Quality of construction is the first thing to judge: hinges should close neatly, lids should sit flush, and decoration should be crisp. Enamel and porcelain are prone to chips and hairline cracks, while silver boxes should be checked for clear hallmarks and dents. Because they are small and affordable, trinket boxes are often a collector's first purchase, and grouped together they make an attractive display on a dressing table or in a cabinet.
