A museum-quality Victorian Art Nouveau-era sterling silver match safe dating around the 1890s, made with the repoussé technique, featuring Eros and Psyche from Greek mythology, framed by griffins and other serpent-like mythical creatures.
Repoussé is a popular silversmithing technique from the late Victorian era, in which a malleable sheet of metal is hammered or pressed from the reverse side to create three-dimensional relief designs. It is typically paired with "chasing," which refines the details on the front.
The specific match features the same image on both sides and is double repoussé, making it a rarer piece, likely a custom creation for a high-society individual. It is marked sterling on its inner rim and has match striking ridges at the bottom. The maker is unknown as the piece doesn’t bear any other marks aside from its metal purity.
The match safe is in overall great condition, but there are natural signs of wear and patina on every antique piece. Please examine all photos and don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Size: Approximately 2.75 inches x 1.75 inches (maximum height and width)
A museum-quality Victorian Art Nouveau-era sterling silver match safe dating around the 1890s, made with the repoussé technique, featuring Eros and Psyche from Greek mythology, framed by griffins and other serpent-like mythical creatures.
Repoussé is a popular silversmithing technique from the late Victorian era, in which a malleable sheet of metal is hammered or pressed from the reverse side to create three-dimensional relief designs. It is typically paired with "chasing," which refines the details on the front.
The specific match features the same image on both sides and is double repoussé, making it a rarer piece, likely a custom creation for a high-society individual. It is marked sterling on its inner rim and has match striking ridges at the bottom. The maker is unknown as the piece doesn’t bear any other marks aside from its metal purity.
The match safe is in overall great condition, but there are natural signs of wear and patina on every antique piece. Please examine all photos and don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Size: Approximately 2.75 inches x 1.75 inches (maximum height and width)
