Charles II Silver Box with Virtuous Inscription, 1670
£1,995.00
Box - London 1670 by Henry Ely - 5.4cm diameter; 2.3cm high; 35g - CO/4223
This is a great circular Charles II period silver box with the bonus of a full set of hallmarks.
Most small boxes from this period lack any marks, but this piece has a full set to the inside base showing the pieces was made in London 1670 by the maker HE, plus a part of marks inside the cover. The maker is attributed to Henry Ely by David M. Mitchell in "Silversmiths in Elizabethan and Stuart London" on page 323.
The box is quite crude in construction but nevertheless very charming in bearing typical engraved decoration for the period with a spiralling floral tendril to the top. The underside is particularly interesting as it is engraved with "Let virtue rule and vice decay And God will bless you night and day" around the outside with the ownership initials "LC". This box was presumably originally given as a gift to LC with some prudent advice (or a warning!).
The box may have been used for many different purposes (tobacco, snuff, personal effects etc) and is in very good condition, and despite the sides of both base and cover being a little out-of-shape the two parts fit together fine. A lovely piece of 17th century silver.
