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ID #SA1184051
FOR SALE
£225
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A Rare Early 19th Century Novelty Silver Needle Case
Jeff Sims Antiques
for sale €263     $286
£225
Jeff Sims Antiques

Jeff Sims Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2010
View Dealers Stock Page
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    Specialists in antique silver, glassware and objects of vertu
Id #SA1184051
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A Rare Early 19th Century Novelty Silver Needle Case

18th century
Description

A lovely and rather rare novelty item of French silver sewing ware, dating from the early 19th Century. The case is fashioned to represent a key. The body is intricately patterned and has the unusual addition of including a cotton reel holder. The handle and body are linked by an attached chain which is suspended by a 'lyre' style clip. A wonderful collector's piece with a practical use.

There is a lovely dot engraving to the body, which reads A F L, S. Maery 1837. Dimensions below.

Postage and packing £10.00 UK

£18.00 Europe

£50.00 USA (including 10% tariff)

£24.00 Outside Europe

Condition :- Excellent, with no dents, losses or splits.

Date :- c1837.

Hallmarks :- Not present (not unusual for small early items). Tests as silver.

Maker :- J E Bushell.

Height :- 14 cms.

Width :- 9 cms.

Depth :- 1 cm.

Physical Dimensions
Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
9cm (3.54")
Depth
1cm (0.39")
Declaration

Jeff Sims Antiques has dated this Antique Silver Needle Case to the Georgian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1184051
Dealers Internal Reference
13187
Dealers Notes

Payment by BANK TRANSFER (preferred),DEBIT/CREDIT CARD, PAYPAL, STRIPE or UK cheque please. Great care is taken with packing and only 'signed for' postal options are used, where available. In the UK, Royal Mail Special Delivery is used, which is both fully insured against loss or damage and guaranteed next day (excluding weekends). If an item goes missing, or is damaged in the post, all available assistance will be offered to make a claim against the provider. Loss or damage in transit, is NOT the responsibility of the seller.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE. Due to the imposition by the US Government of a 10% tariff - after making payment for purchase, an invoice will be sent to all US customers prior to dispatch for the required amount, as items cannot be sent to the USA without the tax being prepaid. Alternatively, the tax amount will be added to postage. If this additional charge is not acceptable, please do not proceed with the purchase.

Returns are accepted if the item has undisclosed damage at point of sale, or has been seriously mis-described. Buyer pays all costs. If you are not certain that you will be completely happy with the item, please do not purchase it.

PLEASE CONTACT ME TO PROVIDE CARD DETAILS OR REQUEST BANK DETAILS. PLEASE ADD POSTAGE FOR PAYPAL/STRIPE AND PRESS PAYPAL/STRIPE OPTION. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR POSTAGE COSTS or with any further questions. If there is anything more we can do to help, please ask. We would like your experience with us to be a happy one and will always try to be accommodating.

Thank you for looking.

Description
A lovely and rather rare novelty item of French silver sewing ware, dating from the early 19th Century. The case is fashioned to represent a key. The body is intricately patterned and has the unusual addition of including a cotton reel holder. The handle and body are linked by an attached chain which is suspended by a 'lyre' style clip. A wonderful collector's piece with a practical use.
fig 1. An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip.
fig 1. A Rare Early 19th Century Novelty Silver Needle Case

There is a lovely dot engraving to the body, which reads A F L, S. Maery 1837. Dimensions below.

Postage and packing £10.00 UK

£18.00 Europe

£50.00 USA (including 10% tariff)

£24.00 Outside Europe

Condition :- Excellent, with no dents, losses or splits.

Date :- c1837.

Hallmarks :- Not present (not unusual for small early items). Tests as silver.

Maker :- J E Bushell.

Height :- 14 cms.

Width :- 9 cms.

Depth :- 1 cm.

Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
9cm (3.54")
Depth
1cm (0.39")
Date of Manufacture

Jeff Sims Antiques has dated this Antique Silver Needle Case to the Georgian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1184051
Dealers Internal Ref
13187
Jeff Sims Antiques
Jeff Sims Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2010

Specialists in antique silver, glassware and objects of vertu

Dealer Profile

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

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An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip.
1 / 6
Archive I An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip.

A Rare Early 19th Century Novelty Silver Needle Case

Archive II An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip. View II
Archive III An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip. View III
Archive IV An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip. View IV
Archive V An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip. View V
Archive VI An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip. View VI
Enlarged Archival View
Telephone 07711 373 683
Location
Suffolk,
United Kingdom
Verified Since Jan 2010
Items For Sale 147
Items Sold 4,474
Jeff Sims Antiques
Jeff Sims Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2010
View Dealer Info
Location: Suffolk,, United Kingdom
Verified
Jan 2010
For Sale
147
Sold
4,474
An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip.
A Rare Early 19th Century Novelty Silver Needle Case
Ref: SA1184051
An early nineteenth-century silver needlecase crafted in the shape of an ornate key, attached by suspension chains to a lyre-form clip.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail
Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.
Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.
Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

A novelty silver needle case is a specialized container crafted in an unconventional or decorative shape, such as a key or musical instrument, designed to safely store sewing needles while serving as a decorative accessory.

During the early nineteenth century, needle cases were commonly manufactured from sterling silver, silver-gilt, mother-of-pearl, ivory, bone, and brass, often featuring hand-engraved or chased surface decoration.

Authentic pieces typically exhibit period silver hallmarks or makers marks, evidence of hand-finishing, period-appropriate construction methods such as hand-drawn chains, and natural surface patination in recessed areas.

Small silver curiosities are best displayed beneath glass domes, mounted within shadow-box frames, or arranged on velvet-lined trays inside glass-fronted cabinets alongside related historical implements.

Silver needle cases should be gently dusted with a soft, lint-free cloth and occasionally wiped with a specialized silver polishing cloth, avoiding harsh liquid cleaners that can strip historical patination.
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