Description
This is a very old and rare Antique Victorian sterling silver smooth vesta case was manufactured in 1885 by Arthur & John Zimmerman. Whilst the case is a bit battered, it is still a beautiful and functional object. Overall, this case is in a reasonable condition.
It has some minor surface scratches and rings and there is a small split across the top of the lid. These could be professionally ironed out if desired. Personally, we quite like a couple of small reminders of the age of a piece like this which is 135 years old!
The hallmarks for the assay office – Birmingham, England – and the assay date (1885) are clear on both the rim and inside the lid. The maker’s mark for Arthur & John Zimmerman (A&JZ) is also clear. Zimmerman’s Birmingham workshop was at Regent Place and was founded in 1879. They did, however, have a workshop and showroom in London too. The firm was most prolific between 1890 and 1910 but went into voluntary liquidation in 1929. Interestingly, one of their marks has been seen with date letters as late as 1940 (Q). Most surviving pieces come from that 1890-1910 period so to have an earlier piece is rare.
Zimmerman pieces can now sell for hundreds of pounds. This is a piece of history to house your keepsakes or a small book of matches. A really classic historical piece ready to be snapped up! This piece also comes with a little bottle of vestas!
Dimensions: 44mm x 35mm x 10mm
ABOUT OUR JEWELLERY
This piece has been specifically selected by us, for you. We choose vintage and antique items which we think are beautiful, elegant and classic at a range of price points between £30 and £3,000. Generally, this means we only ever have one of each piece. We don’t select pieces which are “mass market” but rather items which are more individual. This means that once an item has been purchased, it really has gone. Each piece comes in an attractive jewellery presentation box.