Photo Credit: Dart Silver Ltd
1944 English Sterling Silver Art Deco Cigarette Case
Asking Price: $199.72 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This sleek Art Deco cigarette case was made in Birmingham, England in 1944. It is impressively crafted from solid sterling silver and has a gilt interior.
-This Art Deco cigarette case measures 12.8 cm (5 inches) long by 8.6 cm (3.4 inches) wide. It weighs in at a hefty 191.3 grams, or 6.15 troy ounces. This is exceptionally heavy for a vintage cigarette case and is an important indicator of quality construction.
-Sterling silver cigarette cases were popular from the late 19th century right up until the 1970s. Today they are a favorite of vintage tobacciana collectors.
-Given its gross weight of 6.15 troy ounces, this art deco cigarette case contains approximately 5.69 troy ounces of pure silver. This is worth about $93 with the spot price of silver hovering around $16.40 per troy ounce. Therefore, the case is trading at a premium of around 114% over its melt value, which is very reasonable for a 75 year old vintage item in almost perfect condition.
-The British city of Birmingham was famous for the quality and abundance of its sterling smallwares in the 19th and early 20th century. This included jewelry, snuff boxes, liquor labels and card cases, along with a multitude of other silver trinkets.
-The styling of this vintage Art Deco cigarette case is a sight to behold. An engine-turned diamond pattern alternates with elegant linear design elements, inviting the viewer’s eyes to dance across its silver surface.
-Non-smokers who are interested in antique cigarette cases can adapt them to modern times by using them as billfolds, wallets or business card holders. Honestly, any slim item that you might want to store would pair well with this sterling silver Mid-Century masterpiece.
-I feel that antique sterling cigarette cases are one of the most undervalued areas in the antiques market today. And this example – with its heavy gauge silver, excellent construction and superb Art Deco design – is well worth the $200 asking price.
Cons:
-This Art Deco cigarette case is too big to easily fit into your pants pocket. If you opt to use it as a wallet or billfold, you will have to keep it in a jacket pocket, suit pocket or a purse.
-This vintage sterling silver cigarette case is monogrammed. A lot of collectors don’t like monogrammed silver, but I don’t see it as a significant deterrent. Instead, I view monograms as part of the history of a piece.
-The maker’s mark for this Art Deco cigarette case is “EJE”. Unfortunately, this mid-century Birmingham silversmith’s mark has yet to be identified. The desirability of the piece would be slightly enhanced if the maker were known.
Read more fascinating Antique Sage spotlight posts here.
-or-
Read in-depth Antique Sage investment guides here.
