St. Paul's Castle-top Silver Card Case, 1856

An excellent Victorian silver visiting card case with a high-relief "castle-top" scene to the front depicting St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

This antique card case is embossed all over with floral scrolls and on the obverse surrounds a cartouche with the script engraved monogram of the original owner. Opening the hinged flip lid reveals that it was made by Alfred Taylor of Birmingham in 1856; the hallmarks are clear and the case remains in excellent crisp condition.

St Paul's Cathedral sits on the highest point of the City of London and the present building is reckoned to be London's fifth St Paul's Cathedral. The fourth St. Paul’s was burned down during the Great Fire of London in 1666. The present building is built of Portland Stone and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The first stone was laid in 1677 and the cathedral was completed in 1708. The St Paul's Cathedral is one of London's most visited sights and is home to the tombs of some of Britain’s most famous people: Nelson, Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale and JMW Turner. It was also used for the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.

The scene depicted on the card case shows the Great West Door (left-hand side of photo) with the West End Clock Tower showing quarter past eleven. To the back is the great Dome.