Identifying Antique Silver: Victorian Era Puzzle Box?
Question
Silver piece
Hello, we found this piece amongst my father's belongings after he passed away in 1996. It's a very interesting silver piece but we have absolutely no idea what its purpose might be or what time period it might be from. I've attached a picture which shows the piece in its opened and closed positions. Any thoughts greatly appreciated :-) Thanks, Judy
AnswerHello Judy and thank you for your inquiry. You have a very interesting piece. It appears to me to be Victorian and some sort of server. A lot more could be told by physicial examination i.e. is that a porcelain inset tray and is it removeable ? Is that a sauce cup on the top of the lid or does it have an opening? Did you find any identification markings - company, silverplate? sterling?. If so and the company is still in existance, you might contact them for information. Are those birds accenting the handles ?..might be a clue. What is the size and does the lid close flat or rounded ? You can see that there are a lot of questions that would go into identifying your piece. I believe you should take it to an estate appraiser for identification and valuation. Especially if the item is sterling. There are appraisal services online, but as I said, a hands on examination would be much better. Contact your local museum - they may be able to guide you in the right direction or refer you to an appraiser. Good luck !
