Sheffield Cigarette Box with Engraved Matrix

This Sheffield silver cigarette box dates to the early 20th century. This piece is beautiful in its deceptive simplicity. Deceptive because of its subtle roped boarder along two levels fo the base, classical styling, perfect scale, and elegant adornment with the matrix of a dragon pierced with a spear atop the lid. Whoever commissioned this piece approximately a century ago wanted their status in life made known even in the simplest act of reaching for a cigarette. A lovely size, it need not only house cigaretted; it would be equally well suited for any number of special keepsakes.