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ID #SA1148922
FOR SALE
£1,450
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A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899
For sale by Sandbanks Antiques
for sale €1,697     $1,842
£1,450
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2025
Browse dealers 205 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné
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A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899

19th century
Description

A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899

This exceptional antique Victorian silver novelty vesta case has been realistically modelled in the form of an Elephant.

This impressive antique vesta case is embellished with embossed and chased details replicating the features of the elephant tusks and anatomical features.

The backside of this Deakin & Francis vesta case incorporates a serrated panel / match striker.

The case is fitted with a hinged hallmarked cover/head, opening to reveal the original interior.

Such exceptional period examples are rare and becoming increasingly difficult to locate.

Date: 1899

Maker: Deakin & Francis

Origin: Birmingham, England

Length 5 cm approx

Weight 15.8 grams approx

Condition Very Good - A minor flat spot to top of head

Physical Dimensions
Height
5cm (1.97")
Declaration

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Victorian Silver Elephant Vesta to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1148922
Description
A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899
“
This exceptional antique Victorian silver novelty vesta case has been realistically modelled in the form of an Elephant.
Sandbanks Antiques

This impressive antique vesta case is embellished with embossed and chased details replicating the features of the elephant tusks and anatomical features.

fig 1. A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back.
fig 1. A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899

The backside of this Deakin & Francis vesta case incorporates a serrated panel / match striker.

The case is fitted with a hinged hallmarked cover/head, opening to reveal the original interior.

Such exceptional period examples are rare and becoming increasingly difficult to locate.

Date: 1899

Maker: Deakin & Francis

Origin: Birmingham, England

Length 5 cm approx

Weight 15.8 grams approx

Condition Very Good - A minor flat spot to top of head

Height
5cm (1.97")
Date of Manufacture

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Victorian Silver Elephant Vesta to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1148922
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2025

Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Sandbanks Antiques Profile Page

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A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back.
1 / 10
Archive I A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back.

A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899

Archive II A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View II
Archive III A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View III
Archive IV A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View IV
Archive V A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View V
Archive VI A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View VI
Archive VII A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View VII
Archive VIII A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View VIII
Archive IX A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View IX
Archive X A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back. View X
Enlarged Archival View
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques
Telephone 07889 139677
Location
Sandbanks
Poole
Dorset
United Kingdom

By appointment only in Poole or London.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified Since Jan 2025
Items For Sale 205
Items Sold 86
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2025
View Dealer Info
Location: Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom, , By appointment only in Poole or London.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified
Jan 2025
For Sale
205
Sold
86
A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back.
A Rare Victorian Silver Novelty Elephant Vesta Case Dated 1899
Ref: SA1148922
A sterling silver vesta case cast in the form of a reclining elephant featuring an integrated match striker along its back.
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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectVesta Case
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialSilver
  • ColourSilver
  • MotifsElephant motif, Ribbed striker, Suspension ring, Hinged closure
  • SizeH 5 cm (2 in)

This Victorian silver novelty vesta case from 1899 takes the form of a realistically modelled reclining elephant. Made in Birmingham, England by Deakin & Francis, the piece is fashioned from solid silver with a bright metallic finish and displays embossed and chased surface details including anatomical textures, tusks, a coiled trunk, and an attached suspension ring at the head. A serrated ribbed striker runs along the back ridge, meeting a hinged top closure with a visible hinge mechanism. The item measures 5 cm in length. Positioned on an office desk in a gentleman's library, the vesta case serves as a practical desktop container for matches or small trinkets. The hinged head lifts to access the interior storage compartment, while the exterior shows light surface variation from period use. The small scale allows easy placement on writing tables, bookshelves, or mantelpieces as a decorative object with traditional utility.

FAQs

A vesta case, or match safe, is a small portable container produced during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries designed to hold friction matches safely inside a pocket.

Novelty vesta cases were predominantly crafted from sterling silver, brass, nickel, or electroplated metal, often featuring detailed chasing, engraving, and integrated striker surfaces.

Authentic British pieces bear full silver hallmarks, including a makers mark, town mark, lion passant, and date letter, typically located along the inner rim or closure seam.

These compact antique items are commonly displayed within glass curio cabinets, styled on desktop trays, or incorporated into decorative flatlays and jewellery displays.

Clean gentle tarnish using a soft microfibre cloth designed for silver polish, avoiding abrasive liquids that could erode delicate chased details or internal spring mechanisms.
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