Photo Credit: A & F Silver & Virtue
Fine Art Deco 222g Solid Sterling Silver & Gold Cigarette Case – Birmingham 1937
Buy It Now Price: $307 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This sterling silver cigarette case was made in Birmingham, England in 1937 by William Neale & Sons Ltd. It is unusually heavy, weighing a massive 222.4 grams (7.15 troy ounces) and measures 14.5 centimeters (5.7 inches) long by 8.4 centimeters (3.3 inches) wide. The case’s bullion value (with silver trading at $15 per ounce) is approximately $100.
-This piece is a beautiful example of the mature Art Deco style. Its simple, linear aesthetic comes together remarkably well without being overly austere. The engine-turned surface and tasteful use of gold trim significantly adds to its desirability.
-The cigarette case is in excellent condition with no dents, dings or repairs. The clasp and hinge also work well. The interior gilding is fully intact as are the cigarette retention springs. This is important as oftentimes the interior retention mechanism is either missing or damaged.
-Britain has perhaps the most rigidly enforced silver hallmarking system in the world. This is good, as it guarantees that a hallmarked piece of British silver is definitely up to the sterling standard. It also makes attribution as to city, date and maker very easy. This cigarette case is properly hallmarked.
-This sterling silver objet d’art comes from a pivotal era in British history. It was manufactured in 1937, during the twilight of the British Empire and just a couple years before the Nazis provoked the outbreak of World War II.
Cons:
-The cigarette case is engraved with the initials WHA on the front. There is also a dedication inscription on the interior that reads “PRESENTED TO MR. W. H. ATTRILL BY D. J. JAMES IN APPRECIATION OF HIS SERVICES AS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CIRCUIT. 22.3.37.” Some collectors of fine silver frown on monograms and inscriptions and either avoid them entirely or pay less for silver pieces adorned with them. I personally believe they are part of an item’s legacy and serve to give it historical context. In my opinion inscriptions and initials are either neutral or very modestly enhance the desirability of a piece. This is ultimately in the eye of the beholder.
-This cigarette case is a functional luxury item…but only if you smoke cigarettes. If you don’t smoke, it could possibly be re-purposed as a business card holder or even a money clip. Otherwise it is at best an objet d’art – a display piece.
-The asking amount is set at a premium price point – 220 British pounds (about $307). A recurring theme among investment-grade antiques is that exceptional specimens often command exceptional prices. This magnificent Art Deco sterling silver cigarette case is no exception to that rule. However, it is worth the asking price. If it seems expensive today, just wait ten years and try to buy a similar example for 220 pounds – you won’t be able to.
