Antique Silver Smoke Holder
These antique silver smoke holder pieces encompass a fascinating array of tobacco equipment designed to protect and present cigars, cigarettes, and matches.
Antique Silver Smoke Holder
When you search for an antique silver smoke holder, you encounter a diverse collection of smoking accessories spanning the Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco periods, extending into the mid-century. The selection includes pocket-sized vesta cases, cigar tubes, cigarette cases, and larger compendiums designed for domestic use.
You are most likely to meet sterling silver and silver gilt pocket cases, alongside pieces incorporating amber, crocodile leather, and glass. The forms range from plain torpedo shapes and engine-turned designs to novelty items shaped like animals or fire carriages.
How they were made
Silversmiths utilised sterling silver and silver gilt as the primary structural materials, often applying engine turning, leaf and scroll engraving, or smooth polished finishes to the exterior surfaces. Many items combine silver with organic and exotic materials such as amber mouthpieces, crocodile skin leather, onyx, and lapis lazuli.
Internal mechanisms require precise engineering to function correctly, from spring-loaded opening devices and trick catches to threaded glass elements and fitted compartments designed to secure cigars or cigarettes safely.
Silver smoking accessories occasionally took whimsical shapes, including a tiny detailed cat and a wheeled fire carriage.
What varies in quality
Quality rests upon the crispness of the chasing and engraving, the weight and gauge of the silver used in construction, and the complexity of any mechanical opening mechanism. Pieces featuring unusual forms, novelties, or combinations of materials like gold mountings and enamel work demand greater skill from the maker.
The integration of secondary materials such as genuine amber, carved stone, or fitted crocodile leather also distinguishes higher grade pieces from standard utilitarian examples.
A & J Zimmerman·Sampson Mordan·Edward Edwards·Hermes Paris·George Betjemann
The Antique Silver Smoke Holder Glossary
- Vesta case
- A small pocket container designed to hold wax matches and keep them dry. These often feature a striking surface on the base.
- Silver gilt
- Silver that has been coated with a thin layer of gold on its surface. This technique adds a warm yellow tone and protects the underlying silver from tarnishing.
- Engine turned
- A decorative pattern of precise geometric lines engraved into metal by a lathe. It provides texture and hides minor surface scratches.
- Cheroot holder
- A small tubular device fitted with a mouthpiece to hold a cheroot while smoking. They frequently incorporate amber and arrive in fitted protective cases.
- Compendium
- A comprehensive set or container holding multiple smoking accessories together in one place. These range from pocket versions to substantial table pieces.
Antique Silver Smoke Holder: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a vesta case?
A vesta case is a pocket container built to hold matches and keep them dry before use.
They typically include an integrated striking surface on the bottom for lighting.
How do I identify a Victorian piece?
Victorian items often display hallmarks, heavy silver construction, and ornate leaf and scroll engraving.
They frequently take the form of novelty designs or solid silver cigar cases.
What are smoking compendiums?
Smoking compendiums are larger decorative sets housing multiple smoking requisites in a single unit.
They appear in forms such as table boxes, glass vessels, or wheeled carriages.
Are cheroot holders functional?
Cheroot holders were designed to hold thin cigars during smoking while cooling the smoke.
Many survive paired with matching engraved silver protective cases.