9KT Yellow Gold Square Shaped Cigarette Case

This vintage cigarette case is crafted in beautiful yellow gold. It's square in shape with a striped, highly polished, and finely ribbed textured finish on both sides. The sides are beveled and patterned in a wave design. The inside is recessed to hold the cigarettes and an elastic spans from one side to another to prevent them from falling out. The inside is stamped "T&S 9 .375 with an anchor and the letter B" indicating the hallmark and karat gold.

Gold hallmarks are symbols or markings on gold jewellery or other gold items that indicate their authenticity and purity. These marks are typically made by an assay office, which is a government or independent agency that tests precious metals to ensure that they meet certain standards of purity and quality. In the United Kingdom, there are four assay offices that are responsible for testing and hallmarking gold items: the London Assay Office, the Birmingham Assay Office, the Sheffield Assay Office, and the Edinburgh Assay Office. The Anchor is the mark of the Birmingham Assay Office and has been used since 1773. It is a symbol of the city’s maritime heritage. The standard mark indicates the quality of the gold and is expressed as a numeric value (three numbers), in this case 375 which is 9kt gold. The maker’s mark (or sponsor’s mark) is the stamp or symbol that identifies the manufacturer or designer of the item, in this case 'T&S'. The maker’s mark can be helpful in determining the age and value of the item, as well as the reputation of the manufacturer.

Turner & Simpson are well known as makers of fine silverware, vanities, cigarette cases, snuff boxes, clocks and curios. Although the premises was purely industrial and set within the heart of Birmingham's jewellery quarter it did have the appearance of a rather large cottage, from the exterior. The tiled roof, black framed windows and white exterior walls gave the appearance of a dwelling, except for the company name, TURNER & SIMPSON  LTD., emblazoned on the front wall in large black stylish letters. The company was founded in 1912 as Turner & Simpson Ltd, Birmingham Silversmith 1912. Hallmark registered - July, 1912. Premises: Legge Lane, Birmingham.

• 9K yellow gold 
• Gram weight: 95.2 grams
• Independently appraised value for insurance purposes: $7,800.00 
• Measures approximately 8.5 x 8.5cm  

All items in the Estate Originals Collection are estate pieces created in years gone by. Although this item is in excellent condition, it could have some signs of its age and past enjoyment. The images shown are of the exact item you will receive.