Sterling Silver Guilloché Snuff or Pill Box by Searle & Co Ltd
This exceptional sterling silver box was crafted by the prestigious firm Searle & Co Ltd and assayed in London in 1935. The lid and base are beautifully decorated with engine-turned guilloché wave patterns, framed by a lavish repoussé floral border in high relief. The result is an elegant and tactile piece typical of refined interwar English silver craftsmanship.
Inside, the box features a bright gilt-washed interior and is fully hallmarked with:
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Maker’s mark: S&Co LTD (Searle & Co Ltd)
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Lion passant: indicating sterling silver
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Leopard’s head: for London assay office
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Date letter “u”: for the year 1935
The interior lip is engraved: “Searle and Co Ltd, 1 Royal Exchange, E.C.3” denoting the firm’s exclusive location in London’s financial district.
Measuring 9 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 2 cm tall, and weighing 156.4 grams, the box is substantial and functional, likely originally intended as a snuff box, vanity box, or pill box.
With its finely executed decoration, heavy weight, and prestigious provenance, this is a fine collectible example of Art Deco-era British silver.
09-3055
