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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: janalta on July 24, 2009, 01:20:55 AM
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This cigarette case was found in an old trunk I purchased about 10 years ago.
It is marked inside with S.M. & Co...which I believe is Sampson Mordan & Co?
It is sterling silver with the year letter Q inside a shield.
The inscription on the front dates Oct 7th 1892 ( I think...the 8 is kind of hard to read ).
Any idea if the actual manufacture date would also be 1892 or if it was inscribed at a later date?
On the back is an etching of an elaborate shield with a knight and the name Gloria Calcar Haset.
( what would this name mean....store, original owner, etc ? )
Any ideas on it's value??
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Where there is a good collector base for Cigarette case, two things here will affect the value. First the condition is formost, these items was carried around and it is somewhat hard to find one in excellent condition. From the pics looks like yours has seen lots of use and is in poor condition. the second is most collectors really love to acquire one that are really fancy, enamalled silver or landscape engraving. This one kinda is a plain looking case. You can acquire good cigarette cases for around $100.00 on ebay right now. I have not looked into the hallmarks yet to see if this has any affect on value, but if you want a good base value to start with, weigh the item and see what the value of the silver is. Right now it is around 14 dollars a troy ounce. I would say it probably weighs 3 to 5 troy ounces.
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From what I can see, it looks like you've got British hallmarks, from Sampson Morgan & Co. in London England dating to 1891, which matches perfectly with the inscription.
General info on British hallmarks:
http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html (http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html)
London Hallmarks:
http://www.925-1000.com/dlLondon13.html#M (http://www.925-1000.com/dlLondon13.html#M)
Lodon date letter chart:
http://www.925-1000.com/dlc_london.html (http://www.925-1000.com/dlc_london.html)