Search 0
4,918  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 0 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
JOIN AS A SELLER DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
GIFTS
LATEST STOCK
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Antiques dealer?
Join as a Seller
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1238921
FOR SALE
£425
Email Phone Buy
Save
Rare Victorian Silver String Box by William Comyns, London 1892
For sale by Julie Cartwright Antiques
for sale €497     $540
£425
Julie Cartwright Antiques

Julie Cartwright Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jun 2009
Browse dealers 133 items
Relevant Links
Id #SA1238921
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Rare Victorian Silver String Box by William Comyns, London 1892

19th century
Description

This fabulous Victorian solid silver string or twine box is dated London 1892 and was made by the renowned William Comyns. Of spherical form with embossed birds of paradise and foliate scrolls surrounding a vacant cartouche. The plain removable lid with a hole dispensing twine. Raised on three ball feet. These twine boxes do not come by that often and this is a particularly nice example.

Hallmarks:

WC for William Comyns.

Date letter "R" for 1892.

London Assay mark.

Lion Passant.

Dimensions and Weight:

Height: 8cm / 3 inches.

Diameter: 98cm / 3inches

Weight: 93 g / 3.2 oz.

Condition:

Very good.

Postage:

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO ADD POSTAGE AT CHECKOUT.

Postage:

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO ADD POSTAGE AT CHECKOUT.

Postage UK: £10 Special Delivery Next day.

Postage overseas: £25 International Signed For.

Postage USA (including US import duties): £50.00

You can pay by PayPal, bank transfer, cheque, debit or credit card.

To pay by PAYPAL please add P&P and click on button below.

To pay by credit or debit card over the phone or by cheque, please contact me on 01449 760 585.

Physical Dimensions
Height
8cm (3.15")
Width
8cm (3.15")
Depth
8cm (3.15")
Declaration

Julie Cartwright Antiques has dated this Victorian Silver String Box to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1238921
Dealers Internal Reference
OCT94
Description
This fabulous Victorian solid silver string or twine box is dated London 1892 and was made by the renowned William Comyns.
“
Of spherical form with embossed birds of paradise and foliate scrolls surrounding a vacant cartouche.
Julie Cartwright Antiques

The plain removable lid with a hole dispensing twine. Raised on three ball feet. These twine boxes do not come by that often and this is a particularly nice example.

fig 1. A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.
fig 1. Rare Victorian Silver String Box by William Comyns, London 1892

Hallmarks:

WC for William Comyns.

Date letter "R" for 1892.

London Assay mark.

Lion Passant.

Dimensions and Weight:

Height: 8cm / 3 inches.

Diameter: 98cm / 3inches

Weight: 93 g / 3.2 oz.

Condition:

Very good.

Postage:

fig 2. A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.
fig 2. Rare Victorian Silver String Box by William Comyns, London 1892

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO ADD POSTAGE AT CHECKOUT.

Postage:

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO ADD POSTAGE AT CHECKOUT.

Postage UK: £10 Special Delivery Next day.

Postage overseas: £25 International Signed For.

Postage USA (including US import duties): £50.00

fig 3. A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.
fig 3. Rare Victorian Silver String Box by William Comyns, London 1892

You can pay by PayPal, bank transfer, cheque, debit or credit card.

To pay by PAYPAL please add P&P and click on button below.

To pay by credit or debit card over the phone or by cheque, please contact me on 01449 760 585.

Height
8cm (3.15")
Width
8cm (3.15")
Depth
8cm (3.15")
Date of Manufacture

Julie Cartwright Antiques has dated this Victorian Silver String Box to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1238921
Dealers Internal Ref
OCT94
Julie Cartwright Antiques
Julie Cartwright Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jun 2009
Dealer Profile

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

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.
1 / 8
Archive I A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.

Rare Victorian Silver String Box by William Comyns, London 1892

Archive II A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View II
Archive III A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View III
Archive IV A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View IV
Archive V A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View V
Archive VI A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View VI
Archive VII A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View VII
Archive VIII A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening. View VIII
FURTHER BROWSING

Visitors also looked at these ⇣

Enlarged Archival View
Julie Cartwright Antiques

Julie Cartwright Antiques
Telephone 07947 998435
Location
Suffolk
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/jc
Verified Since Jun 2009
Items For Sale 133
Items Sold 2,214
Julie Cartwright Antiques
Julie Cartwright Antiques
Verified Since Jun 2009
View Dealer Info
Location: Suffolk, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/jc
Verified
Jun 2009
For Sale
133
Sold
2,214
A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.
RARE VICTORIAN SILVER STRING BOX BY WILLIAM COMYNS, LONDON 1892
Ref: SA1238921
A spherical late Victorian sterling silver string box with chased floral and scroll ornamentation, resting on three ball feet with string extending from the top opening.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

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.

Secure Transit

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.

The Sustainable Choice

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.

Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDesk Accessories
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialSterling Silver
  • ColourSilver
  • MotifsChased floral scrolls, blank cartouche, ball feet, top aperture
  • SizeH 8 cm (3 in) x W 8 cm (3 in) x D 8 cm (3 in)

This Victorian solid sterling silver string box is a desk accessory made in London in 1892 by William Comyns. The spherical desk piece has a silver colour with a polished finish and displays embossed birds of paradise, chased floral scrolls, a blank cartouche, and a top aperture with string extending outward. Three ball feet support the body beneath a removable lid. Hallmarks stamped on the metal include WC for William Comyns, the date letter R for 1892, the London Assay mark, and the lion passant. Measuring 8 cm high, 8 cm wide, and 8 cm deep, the compact object sits on an office desk in a gentleman's library setting to dispense twine or string as needed. The solid construction and intricate chased ornamentation suit traditional working spaces and writing tables where practical desk accessories are kept close at hand.

FAQs

A Victorian silver string box is a specialised container created to hold a ball of twine or string, allowing the cord to thread through a small hole at the top for easy dispensing on writing desks or shop counters.

These items were predominantly crafted from hallmarked sterling silver, using techniques such as repousse, chasing, and casting to produce spherical or novelty shapes supported on small cast feet.

Authentic pieces feature full British hallmarks stamped into the metal, including the lion passant for sterling silver, the town mark (such as the leopards head for London), a date letter, and the makers mark W.C for William Comyns.

An antique silver string box works as a decorative object on an executive desk, bookshelf, or sideboard alongside leather-bound books and brass instruments to create a curated vignette.

Maintain silver desk accessories by wiping them periodically with a soft silver polishing cloth, avoiding abrasive cleaners or immersion in water that could damage hollow structures or remaining string.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Period
Style
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Recently Added
Online Payments
Categories