How were stamp holders used?

These accessories kept gummed postage stamps flat and dry in pockets or on writing desks before self-adhesive stamps existed. People carried them alongside visiting cards and correspondence. Desk versions sat neatly among inkwells and blotters, while pocket versions featured loops or slim profiles for travel.

How do I spot a novelty piece?

Novelty stamp holders take recognizable shapes from everyday life, such as books, wallets, wheelbarrows, or garden trugs. They disguise functional stamp compartments within charming miniature sculptures. These whimsical objects required intricate silver casting and folding techniques by the silversmith.

What materials accompany the silver?

Many stamp holders combine sterling silver mounts with cut glass, leather, enamel, or stone elements. Glass boxes allowed users to see the stamps inside without opening the lid. Leather added a flexible, pocket-friendly structure to combined card and stamp cases.

How do I date these pieces?

Assay office marks and date letters stamped into the silver provide the exact year of manufacture. Stylistic clues such as Edwardian floral engraving or George V WWI inscriptions also help determine the period. Most surviving examples date from the late nineteenth century through the early twentieth century.

Search 0

7,082 PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 52 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS

Sorted by

Per page

VISITOR LOGIN JOIN AS A SELLER DEALER LOGIN

0

Saved

GIFTS

Sterling Silver Stamp Holder

52 ITEMS ADDED TODAY

Visitor Login (saved items)

Sort Order

Items Per Page

Sterling Silver Stamp Holder

17 items · page 2 of 2

← Page 2 of 2 →

These sterling silver stamp holder pieces are pocket or desk accessories made to organise postage, and collectors prize them for their miniature silverwork.

Edwardian Antique Silver Wheel Barrow Stamp Box, Birmingham 1907

1900 - 1920

Save

Edwardian Antique Silver Wheel Barrow Stamp Box, Birmingham 1907

From Highland Antiques Ltd

£595

FOR SALE

silver

← 1 2 →

65,723

Antiques For Sale

52

Antiques Approved Today

79

Antique Uploads This Month

445,425

Total Antiques Sold

Sterling Silver Stamp Holder

Edwardian Antique Silver Wheel Barrow Stamp Box, Birmingham 1907

Add keywords to the filter

Price

Era

Period

Style

Material

Origin

Stock Location

Recently Added

Online Payments

Categories