I bought this piece, the chain doesn’t look like silver, but this capsule is silver, Birmingham, 1904, but I didn’t identify who the maker is and I have no idea what the purpose of this piece is, could you help me, please? Thank you.
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A&JZ is A & J Zimmerman. Your little container is probably intended for a cheroot or cigarette holder.
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Thank you Phil. The container has 5,7 cm, I had thought that it would be for storing needles, tobacco or snuff.
Arthur & John Zimmerman or A & J Zimmerman Ltd,
registered in May 1885. Had three addresses : Regent Place, Birmingham, Lozells Street, Birmingham and Hall Road, Birmingham.
1904 hallmark.
I think it’s a vesta case.
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It can’t be a vesta as there is no striking grid for the matches. I think, from the first picture, that it is slightly wider at the top; this shape is typical for a cigarette holder.
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I know it sounds a bit like “everybody else is out of step”, but these containers with a slightly conical shape are not needle cases which are a bit rarer and are cylindrical. I suspect that, in these days of smoking being frowned upon, “needle case” sounds more socially acceptable (and saleable!).
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It’s risky to rely on the descriptions in eBay or Etsy listings, because the seller is often not a specialist, and is just taking a wild guess about what he’s selling. (There’s an item on Etsy right now that’s described as sterling silver. The “hallmark” is WH&S BP - William Hutton and Sons Britannia Plate. I tried to warn the seller, but he ignored me.)
The same goes for some auction houses that are just aggregators. In other words, they know nothing, and are not in possession of the items - they’re just listing them for someone else. There’s one well-known “auction house” in NYC that’s really just two Russian guys in a room with a bunch of PC’s running some selling platform programs.
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I completely agree, people don’t know what they are selling and don’t want to know. This is only good for those who know what they are buying, who can often get good items for better prices. I love buying silver as well as silver plated (seller’s words) hhahahah
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