#6994                                                                                          

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Silver Necessaire  - This wonderful necessaire has eight beautifully ornate silver pieces including two different size scissors, stiletto, bodkin, thimble, penknife, button hook and needlecase.  While the thimble may be a replacement, all of the other pieces are undoubtedly original to the set.   The penknife clearly shows a hallmark of Birmingham, 1900, and a maker's mark for Levi & Salaman.   The thimble also shows a hallmark of Birmingham, 1900, with a maker's mark for Constantine & Floyd.     

The condition of this lovely set is very good even though the case is showing a bit of wear.   As the pictures show, the leather case has a few dings and scratches and one of the green satin ribbons on the inside of the case is unattached.  But the hinges on the case are solid and the lid is still firmly attached.  The case does not close tightly.   The only other problem to the condition is that the button hook has one dent on each side of the handle.  The rest of the pieces are in excellent condition.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   $675.00               

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  #6995                         

Acorn Thimble Case -  The wood grain on this charming thimble case is absolutely stunning.   Pictures simply do not do it justice.   For some reason, my pictures of this piece show a red tone to the wood.  The actual piece is a rich medium brown in color.  The inside of this figural thimble case features a spindle to hold the thimble.   The case is empty, so it would be perfect for that trea- sured  thimble of your grandmother's.  It measures 2 1/2" in length and 1 1/2" in diameter at its widest point.     

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The condition of this charming thimble case is excellent.  There are a few very minor scratches on the surface of the wood that are only noticible if you are looking very closely.   The top of the case fits tightly to the bottom and the spindle is tightly attached.                                                                                                                                                                                                             $185.00

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#6996

Ivory Needle- case - Measur- ing just 2 1/2" in length, this lovely needlecase is hand carved from ivory. It was probably made for one of the many oriental sewing boxes sold in England during the 19th century.  The condition of the needlecase is good.                                                $95.00

                                                                       #6997                                                                                          

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Silver Scissors  - While I'm not sure that this lovely box was made for this particular pair of scissors, I can say that they look absolutely beautiful displayed in this box.   So original or not, they are great together.  The scissors are marked sterling and the blades are marked Sheffield.  The pattern of swirls and florals travels all the way up the finger grips.   The scissors measure 4 1/4" in length.  The box measures 6" x 3 1/4" x 1" high and features a lovely brass latch.    

The condition of the box is very good and the condition of the scissors is excellent.  The back edge of the box is showing a bit of wear, but even that is fairly minor.   The scissors are still sharp and cut well.  The handles and blades are tight.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        $275.00               

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  #7000                         

Avery "Beatrice" -  Named after Queen Victoria's daughter, this charming decorative brass needlecase was patented in Birmingham, England in 1867 by a jeweler named William Lewis.  Today it is referred to as an avery.   Six months after this needlecase was patented, a man by the name of William Avery began to make a very large series of figural brass needcases in which to sell his needles.   His needlecases to name just a few, included a butterfly, a game table, a fan and a hedgehog.  The list goes on and on, which is why these wonderful brass needlecases became known as averies.  Today they are highly prized and actively sought after.

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This avery is pictured on pages 13 and 87 of the book entitled Victorian Brass Needlecases by Estelle Horowitz and Ruth Mann. Their excellent book tells the story of the avery and the man who made them. As William Lewis was William Avery's competitor, it is likely that the "Beatrice" inspired William Avery to create his wonderful needlecases.   The needlecase is in excellent condition.                                                                                                                                                                               $325.00

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#7001

Wood Needle Case - Circa 1880, this very pretty wood needlecase is probably Tyro- lean.  It measures 5" in length and is in good condition with no scratches and a tight fitting top.                                         $125.00

                                                                       #7002                                                                                          

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Mother of Pearl Necessaire - Pictures and descriptions simply cannot express how exquisite this stunning necessaire really is.  This piece is truly the very best of the best.  The shell shaped box is beyond beautiful.   The framework is gilt or vermeil decorated with graceful vines of foliage. It sits on three lion's paw feet.  The gorgeous mother of pearl top shows beautiful color and is decorated with a second raised seashell and a gold plaque that remains unengraved.  Circa 1825, this exquisite necessaire was undoubtedly made at the palais royal in Paris.   

The needlework tools inside the box are 18kt. gold.  They include scissors, needlecase, bodkin/earspoon, and a cut crystal scent bottle with a gold top and its original stopper, as well a a replacement gilt thimble. The scissors are particularly beautiful. The box measures 6" from side to side and 5 1/2" from front to back. It is aproximately 1 1/2" high.  A necessaire like this one is exceedingly rare. There simply can't be very many of these lovely sets left in the world.

The condition of the necessaire is very good.  There are no scratches or chips in the mother of pearl. The gilt framework is showing a bit of tarnish, but that is fairly minor. The hinge is very strong and the button closure is tight and works well.  There is a very minor bit of wear in the fabric under the scissors fingerholes. The tools are all in excellent condition.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    $5800.00