Description: ELEGANT VERY RARE 1930s ART DECO ITALIAN SOLID SILVER MOUNT SMOKER'S COMPENDIUM BOX On offer is this most elegant and very rare Art Deco Italian solid silver 800 mount smoker's compendium box - please see the photos. It has stylish decoration to the body in a walnut veneer and a smart solid silver engine turned top on the lid of the cigarette box section, and no engravings. To the base, there is a pull out drawer with a fully hallmarked single cigarette rest ashtray in one compartment. Adjacent to this, there is a split compartment with one section for matches and, to the reverse, an inlaid striker. Unusually, the silver top and the ashtray are matching. There are also the same hallmarks to the silver thumb piece of the lid. The knob to the drawer is silver plate. The type of hallmark dates it exactly to between 1934 and 1944. According to the excellent Italian Silver Collection website - www.silvercollection.it - a law introduced a new mark on 5 February 1934 that gave uniformity to the shape of Italian silversmith's marks. 'The new mark identifying the silversmith consisted of a lozenge containing: number, corresponding to the number identifying the silversmith; 'fascio' Fascist party symbol; two letters, initials of the province. The lozenge was coupled to an oval containing the purity degree 800 or 925 per thousand.' This piece has the same matching type of hallmark to all 3 of the silver components - on the side of the lid (rubbed but discernible), front of the thumb piece, cigarette rest on the ashtray. It is most clear on the latter. This is: the lozenge shape with, to the left, the number '12' for the silversmith; the 'fascio' symbol; the letter 'FI' for Firenze/Florence. And an oval with the number '800' for the grade of silver. The same website, helpfully, also gives information relating to the silversmith's number, as marked, by province. In this instance, the number 12 is for 'Paoli Galileo fu Ansalone' 'Via Romana 92' 'FIRENZE' and his mark was entered on 27/4/1935. This is a very rare piece indeed - I have not been able to find another similar - and have priced it accordingly. I love the Art Deco style and, with this smart box, given its history, you have to wonder who owned it originally and how it ended up in England almost 100 years later! HALLMARKS: As above. APPROXIMATE MEASUREMENTS/WEIGHT: It is about 22.5cm at the widest points across the front and back, 11.2cm across the sides, and 11.5cm in height. Across the base, it is 21cm by 13cm. Total weight is just over 1kg, including the ashtray, which is 18g alone, 6cm in diameter and 1.5cm height. CONDITION: It is in very reasonable condition overall, in my opinion, especially considering it will be about 90 years old, the usual signs of wear commensurate with age and use. For the silver lid - light scratches, little dings all around the outside, very slight distortions. It is firmly attached. The silver to the thumb piece is okay, as is the ashtray. The latter has light scratches, a very small thin split to the top layer of the stepped base, to the lower right hand side of the cigarette rest, and age related spots. For the veneer - not bad for its age - there are the usual signs of wear common to veneer of this age - splits and cracks etc, small losses here and there - please see the photos. If you have any questions, please ask. Any dark marks, etc are reflections or bits of age-related patina, particularly in the grooves of the engine turned pattern to the lid. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING POSTAGE & PACKING: All items are sent fully tracked and/or signed for to ensure safe delivery of your item. Combined postage - if you win/purchase more than one item, please wait for a revised invoice before paying. International buyers should check for any Customs charges, etc for their country, as this is not included in the final price. RETURNS: No quibble - returns accepted if you are not 100% happy for any reason. Please let us know as soon as you have received the item if you wish to return it. Then you can simply return it within 14 days, in the same state in which it was received. Please note that we take extra photos of items for our records prior to sending to show condition. We do not give discounts. Thank you.
Price: 250 GBP
Location: London
End Time: 2024-11-19T17:56:21.000Z
Shipping Cost: 27.89 GBP
Product Images
Item Specifics
Return postage will be paid by: Buyer
Returns Accepted: Returns Accepted
After receiving the item, your buyer should cancel the purchase within: 14 days
Brand: Paoli Galileo, Firenze, Italy
Antique: Yes
Pattern: Engine turned top, walnut wood veneer
Composition: Solid Silver
Style: Art Deco
Product: Rare Italian 1930 Art Deco solid silver top & ashtray smokers box
Material: Solid Silver
Age: 1900-1940
