SUPERB ANTIQUE GOLD & SILVER MATCHING CIGARETTE CASE & MATCH SAFE ~ ASPREY c1920

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SUPERB ANTIQUE GOLD & SILVER MATCHING CIGARETTE CASE & MATCH SAFE ~ ASPREY c1920:
$796.00

SUPERB ANTIQUE GOLD & SILVER MATCHING CIGARETTE CASE & MATCH SAFE ~ ASPREY c1920 SUPERB ANTIQUE GOLD & SILVER MATCHING CIGARETTE CASE & MATCH SAFE ~ ASPREY c1920

SUPERB ANTIQUE GOLD & SILVER MATCHING CUSTOM MADE

CIGARETTE CASE & MATCH SAFE PRESENTATION CASED SET

BY THE LONDON LUXURY RETAILER ASPREY ~ c.1920

This matching custom made to order Sterling Asprey cigarette case andmatch safe set is extremely well constructed with gold borders is presented inits original 8 7/8” x 4 1/2” x 7/8” French recessed style dark grey textured leatherand silk lined sculptured Asprey Marked presentation case with a decorativegold border. The inside of the case bottom is beige velvet with a beige copingborder. The inside top is lined in off white silk and Maker marked with a Crown(see Royal Warrants below), ASPREY, LONDON; at this location since1847. Both the top and bottom have a delicate gold border. Both pieces have asilk ribbon to assist when removing from the recessed French style case. Thefront release button works properly. Asprey is to London and Europe as Tiffanyis to the USA luxury market. Both pieces are sterling silver with matching goldescutcheons with the initials JGM with gold borders, gold plated sterlingborders, and delicate gold washed interiors that have been lightly cleaned overtime. These two pieces have gold name plates secured with 4 tiny rivets. Bothpieces are double mounted, i.e., on both sides, with identical patterns with anengraved silver guilloche center panels with engraved gold borders withguilloche pattern panels.

When the two cases are closed, there does not appear to be any way toopen the case. However, these two pieces exhibit the unique and exclusiveAsprey feature regarding the spring-loaded hinge and hidden slip joint openingand closing mechanism. The piano style hinge is spring assisted with a stronghidden spring. The hinge allows the two halves to move upward and downward onthe hinge 1/8” allowing the front cover to slide upward when holding the backside firmly and to engage and release the tiny locking mechanism. This releasesthe hidden small L shaped hook on the inside middle front edge that engageswith a small hidden rectangular slot on the middle edge of the back side, andthe spring-loaded hinges opens the case automatically. When closing the case,one has to compress the two spring loaded halves together and pull the frontcover downward and back side up upwards to reengage the small L shaped frontinside hook into the small inside rectangular slot on the opposing side (seebelow).

Both pieces are hallmarked twice, on each inside of the two halves. Thematch safe is 2 1/4” x 1 3/4” x 3/8” thick and is heavy for its size at 2.0ounces or 57 grams. This piece is hallmarked with the Lion mark for Sterling, aLeopard head mark for London, the date letter e for 1920, ASPREY LONDON, andtheir hallmark, A & Co, Ltd.; the first of 12 different hallmarks use byAsprey. This mark was registered in 1909 and used between 1908 and 1944. Thematch safe has the additional mark that refers to the uniqueand exclusive Asprey feature regarding the spring-loaded hinge and hiddenslip joint opening and closing mechanism. This match safe has a pouch on oneside that contains the matches, along with a rigid strike plate.

The 3 1/4” x 5 1/16” x 3/8” cigarette case is heavy for its size at7.1 ounces or 203 grams. This piece is hallmarked with the assembly #5, a Lionmark for Sterling, a Leopard head mark for London, the date letter e for 1920,ASPREY LONDON, and their hallmark, A & Co, Ltd.; the first of 12 differenthallmarks use by Asprey. This mark was registered in 1909 and used 1908 – 1944.The original blue elastic band to retain the cigarettes remains intact.

The Asprey exclusive feature refers to the spring-loaded hinge andhidden slip joint opening and closing mechanism system. Note this patentedsystem allows the two halves to move upward and downward on the hinge 1/8” asshown in the images. This system works perfectly on the match safe that has ashort hinge length. As expected, the cigarette case has a much longer pianostyle hinge and creates more friction due to the aging and design of the tightfitting 10 tine piano hinge. When the cigarette case is open, it is easy to seethe small, curved catch and align it with the slot when closing the cigarettecase. I simply align the catch very closely to the slot, and gently nudge thefront and back together a tiny bit; just enough to engage the clasp and securethe 2-spring loaded front and back together without closing it all the way. Usethis method for easy opening and closing of the cigarette case that willshow about a 1/16” border of the back side at the bottom when displayed in thecase. If you close the front and back all the way, the additional tension makesit much harder to open. If you close the front and back halves too much, I haveadded a couple of ribbons, one for the front and one for the backside that arepassed through the cigarette case in the middle to help open this case bypulling upward on one ribbon while pulling down on the other if necessary. Ifone wanted to use this cigarette case, a Jeweler could easily make a slightadjustment. This set would be the center piece for any Tobacciana, match safecigarette case display.

ASPREY / LONDON LUXURY RETAILER

Asprey was established in England in 1781. Founded as a silk printingbusiness by William Asprey, it soon became a luxury emporium. In 1841, WilliamAsprey's elder son Charles went into partnership with a stationer located inLondon. In 1847, the family broke with this partner and moved intothepremises Asprey occupies today. From its central London location, Aspreyadvertised 'articles of exclusive design and high quality, whether for personaladornment or personal accompaniment and to endow with richness and beauty thetable and homes of people of refinement and discernment. Asprey was recognizedfor its expertise when it won a gold medal for its dressing cases attheInternational Exhibitionof 1862. As the business grew in the20th Century, the company acquired manufacturing facility Asprey cigarette cases became collectable amongst young sophisticateswho delighted in its other modern products, including travel clocks.

ASPREY ROYAL PATRONAGE

1862 First Royal Warrantgranted byQueen Victoria

1889 Edward VII grants the second Royal Warrant to Asprey

1925 HM Queen Marycommissions a necklace, later given toHRHPrincess Margareton the occasion of her 18th birthday

1975 Asprey received the Queen's Award to Industry by Queen Elizabeth

1990 Asprey and Garrard merge

2002 Asprey and Garrard split

2006 Asprey celebrates its 225th anniversary and is granted a coat ofarms by the English College or Arms

2012 New York based Luxury Institute ranks Asprey in the top twoluxury brands for 2012.