Blue Sterling Silver Box
A blue sterling silver box brings together precious metal and vivid glass enamel to hold small treasures on a dressing table.
Blue Sterling Silver Box
A blue sterling silver box encompasses trinket pots, dressing table jars, powder compacts, and small vanity containers. These pieces emerge from periods including the Victorian era, the Edwardian years, and the Art Deco decades of the twentieth century.
The selection ranges from British hallmarked examples originating in Birmingham and London to continental pieces and nineteenth-century Chinese export items. Small pill boxes, jewellery caskets, and cigarette boxes provide the most common encounters on this page.
Makers and designers from Liberty & Co to specific silversmiths shaped these containers, often pairing sterling silver mounts with translucent or bi-colour enamel work.
Qualities of craftsmanship and preservation
The condition of the vitreous enamel forms a primary distinction between examples, with intact surfaces free from chips or extensive hairline fractures representing higher preservation. Crisp engine-turned guilloche patterns beneath the enamel demonstrate superior silversmithing skill.
Clear hallmarks on the sterling silver verify the origin and date of the piece, connecting the container to specific assay offices and makers. The weight of the silver mount and the secure fit of the lid against the glass or metal body indicate the original standard of manufacture.
Blue Sterling Silver Box Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for blue sterling silver box among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Materials recorded across the inventory include sterling silver, vitreous enamel, cut glass, velvet, and satin.
Henry Clifford Davis·Henry Matthews·Liberty and Co·Goldsmith and Silversmiths
The Blue Sterling Silver Box Glossary
- Guilloche
- An ornamental engraving technique where a mechanical lathe cuts a precise, intricate geometric pattern into metal. This patterned surface is then coated with translucent enamel so the design shows through.
- Vitreous enamel
- A material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between seven hundred and nine hundred degrees Celsius. The resulting compound creates a durable, glossy coloured surface on silver objects.
- Sterling silver
- An alloy of silver containing ninety-two point five percent by mass of silver and seven point five percent by mass of other metals, usually copper. British pieces carry hallmark stamps to verify this standard.
- Assay office
- A body charged with testing the purity of precious metals and stamping items with official hallmarks. Birmingham and London offices appear frequently on these silver and enamel pieces.
Blue Sterling Silver Box: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I date a silver and enamel box?
British pieces carry hallmarks that include assay office marks, date letters, and the sterling silver lion passant. Comparing these stamps against standard hallmarking tables reveals the exact year of manufacture.
stylistic indicators like Edwardian flourishes or geometric Art Deco lines also help place the box within its correct decade.
What is guilloche enamel?
Guilloche is a decorative technique where a machine carves a precise geometric pattern into the silver base. Translucent blue enamel is then applied over the engraving, allowing light to reflect through the pattern.
This method creates depth and shimmering movement across the surface of the lid.
Are these boxes made entirely of solid silver?
Many dressing table jars and powder pots combine a sterling silver lid with a cut glass or moulded glass base. Other items, such as trinket boxes and card cases, use sterling silver for both the body and the lid.
The listings specify whether glass or lining materials form part of the construction.
How should I clean my silver and enamel box?
Use a soft, dry cloth to remove dust from the silver mounts and enamel surfaces. Avoid harsh silver dips, abrasive polishes, or ultrasonic cleaners, as these substances can damage or discolour the delicate vitreous enamel.
Store the box away from direct sunlight to protect the blue colour over time.