Silver Enamelled Jar
A silver enamelled jar is a dressing table essential that brings colourful pattern and precious metal to daily routines.
Silver Enamelled Jar
A silver enamelled jar unites precious metalwork with vibrant glassy colour for use on dressing tables and desks. When you search for this phrase, you encounter vanity items, lidded pots, scent bottles, and trinket boxes designed to hold small treasures. The selection includes compact Edwardian pieces alongside striking Art Deco designs.
The version you meet most often on this page is the Art Deco sterling silver and guilloche enamel jar, typically originating from Birmingham workshops during the 1920s and 1930s. These dressing table pieces frequently combine cut glass bodies with patterned silver lids.
How they were made
Makers combined sterling silver mounts and lids with glass bodies, utilising cut glass, cranberry glass, or etched glass to create varied translucent containers. Silversmiths shaped the metal through casting and hammering, frequently adding hallmarks for assay offices in Birmingham, Chester, and London.
Coloured enamel added vibrant hues to the silver tops, often through the guilloche technique where engine-turned patterns beneath translucent enamel catch the light. Cloisonne and basse-taille methods also appear, applying vitreous enamel within wire boundaries or carved metal recesses.
Silver Enamelled Jar Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for silver enamelled jar 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.
The listings feature silver enamelled jars spanning from the Edwardian period through the Art Deco era and into Mid-Century Modern design.
What varies in quality
The sophistication of the enamel work dictates the upper tier of the range, where complex engine-turning beneath translucent layers creates depth. Simple flat enamel surfaces sit lower in the hierarchy than intricate guilloche or detailed ginbari wirework.
The quality of the glass body and the weight of the sterling silver mount further separate standard examples from superior ones. Heavy cut glass and substantial silver lids bearing clear maker marks distinguish the finest dressing table accessories.
Henry Clifford Davis·Henry Perkins·Ando Jubei·Goldsmith's and Silversmith's Co.
The Silver Enamelled Jar Glossary
- Guilloche enamel
- A decorative technique where a mechanical pattern is engraved into metal before translucent enamel is applied. This allows the underlying geometric design to show through the glassy surface.
- Sterling silver
- An alloy consisting of silver and other metals, typically copper, standardly marked to guarantee its purity. It forms the structural caps, lids, and mounts for these jars.
- Cranberry glass
- A rich red-pink glass coloured with gold chloride during production. It provides a striking colourful body for lidded dressing table pots.
- Cloisonne
- A method of decorating metal objects by placing wires onto the surface to create compartments that are filled with enamel. These compartments hold the coloured glass paste before firing.
- Basse-taille
- An enamel technique where the background is carved or engraved in low relief so that enamel covers the design. Light passes through the translucent layers to highlight the carved depths.
Silver Enamelled Jar: Frequently Asked Questions
What were silver enamelled jars used for?
These jars served practical and decorative roles on dressing tables and mantelpieces. Owners stored pins, trinkets, cosmetics, and perfumes inside the lidded glass vessels.
They formed part of larger dressing table sets that included brushes and mirrors. Their decorative enamel lids brought colour to bedroom furniture.
How do I date an enamel jar?
Silver mounts carry hallmarks that indicate the assay office, standard of silver, and year of manufacture. Date letters stamped into the metal provide precise chronological placement.
Stylistic indicators like geometric guilloche patterns point towards the 1920s and 1930s. Softer floral motifs often associate with Edwardian production from the start of the century.
How do I clean the silver and glass?
Gentle wiping with a soft cloth maintains the polished finish of the sterling silver mounts. Care must be taken to keep silver polish away from fragile enamel surfaces.
Glass bodies can be washed with warm soapy water when separated from the metal lids. Harsh abrasives will scratch both the glass and the vitreous enamel.
Are these jars fragile?
The glass bodies and vitreous enamel lids require careful handling to prevent chipping or cracking. Sudden impacts can damage the glass or cause enamel to fracture.
Displaying them away table edges protects them from accidental knocks. With sensible care, these durable decorative items survive daily use.