Photo Credit: Joanie’s-Fine-Antiques-and-Silver
Superb Antique Georgian Dice Cup in Gold, Bone and Enamel
Current Bid: $185.50 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)
Pros:
-Here is a lavish early 19th century Georgian dice cup originating from Britain or possibly France. The body is made of bovine (cow) bone while the fittings test as 14 karat solid gold.
-This antique Georgian dice cup measures 1.375 inches (35 mm) tall by 1.1875 inches (30 mm) wide and weighs a surprisingly heavy 24.6 grams (0.79 troy ounces).
-The top of the dice cup prominently features an enamel badge applied over gold. It depicts playing cards surrounded by the whimsical French motto “succès en tout le meme” which roughly translates as “success in everything”. The motto is particularly fitting for this high end gambler’s accessory.
-The screw top lid indicates that this antique Georgian dice cup also doubled as a dice box or dice case. A wealthy merchant or aristocrat would have used it to carry his favorite pair of dice with him on his travels.
-Gambling was a favorite pastime for European nobility during the Georgian period. Baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette were just a few of the games of chance that wealthy risk takers of the early 19th century loved to wager on.
-The quality of this Georgian dice cup is exceptionally high. It is obvious that it was extremely expensive when it was made. It is even possible that it was a one of a kind commission by a wealthy customer.
-This specimen is in excellent condition for its age, with only a small, unobtrusive hairline crack on the rim of the lid. The enamel also has minor wear consistent with the item’s age.
-This Georgian dice cup might be more than 200 years old. That is old enough that it might have been constructed completely by hand, without any machine assistance. That possibility simply adds to the item’s allure.
-The current bid of $185 is far too low and will definitely rise before the auction closes. I would be shocked if the closing price is anywhere below $500. For a premium Georgian objet d’art of this caliber I would be comfortable bidding close to $1,000.
Cons:
-This eBay listing is a no reserve auction format instead of a buy-it-now listing. That means it goes to whoever has the highest bid when the auction closes on April 10, 2017. You must bid quickly if you hope to own this beauty!
-The gold trim on this Georgian dice cup is not hallmarked. However, that is normal for small, mixed media gold or silver articles from the 18th or early 19th centuries. I do not believe the lack of hallmarks should impact the value of the object.
-This antique dice cup is fairly small, with the longest dimension less than 1.5 inches (38 mm). This reduces the desirability of the item somewhat. However, if it were larger – say 3 or 4 inches tall – it would be a museum quality piece with a price tag of at least several thousand dollars, if not more.
