Rare 1886 Silver & Enamel 10th Hussars Sentry Box Vesta Case by Sampson Mordan

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Rare 1886 Silver & Enamel 10th Hussars Sentry Box Vesta Case by Sampson Mordan:
$9940.58

Here for your consideration is an exquisite and extremely rare, genuine original, antique Victorian, 1886, silver and enamel, Sampson Mordan,novelty, sentry box, vesta case, depicting an officer of the 10th (Prince of Wales’s own Royal) Hussars.

These rare, silver enamelled, sentry box vesta cases, were produced by Sampson Mordan in 1886 and depicted soldiers from the Queen’s Royal regiments, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Today considered to be the most highly prized and collectable of all the vesta cases.

This is as good as it gets with regards to novelty Sampson Mordan vesta cases. There areplenty of vesta cases out there, but how manyof these have you seen. An extremely rare find indeed, I\'ve only got one, once it\'s gone .... it\'s gone. You might never findanother one like this, and if there\'s one thing I\'ve learned about antiques, when items are of quality and extremelyrare he who hesitates usually loses out.

It features delightful, finely engraved, enamel workmanship, bearing the SM maker\'s mark in an oblong cartouche for Sampson Mordan, lion passant, leopards head London assay mark, Queen Victoria duty mark, and date letter \'L\' in a shield cartouche for 1886.The front is also stamped with the registration number 38283.

A beautiful example of a novelty vesta case by one of the very best Victorian silversmiths. Considering this exquisite novelty silver and enamel vesta case is 131 years old itsin very good condition, with no denting or enamel damage. It does have some beautiful silver age related patina, commensurate with 131 years of age, but nothing unusual.

Please note, photos 11 and 12 are reference photos only to show what these two delightful vesta cases would look like together.

10th (The Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars…

Thiscavalryregiment was raised in Hertfordshire in 1715 in response to the Jacobite Rebellion. In 1751, it was established as the 10th Regiment of Dragoons – Dragoons being soldiers who moved on horseback but fought on foot. The Regiment was again retitled in 1783 by King George III and from then on was known as the 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons. The king’s eldest son, in whose honour the Regiment had been renamed, became its Colonel in 1796. The Prince of Wales was a great admirer of the colourful uniforms of the French cavalry and once again set about renaming the Regiment and redesigning its uniform in 1806. The newly named 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Hussars) became Britain’s first ever Hussar unit – Hussars being soldiers who both moved and fought on horseback. The Prince of Wales remained Colonel of the Regiment until his coronation as George IV in 1820.
The Regiment fought at the Battle of Waterloo (1815) and was again deployed during the Crimean War, seeing action in the Siege of Sevastopol (1854-1855). In 1861, the Regiment was yet again renamed the 10th (The Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars and two years later gained another Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, as its Colonel. Under the new name the Regiment fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) and the Second Boer War (1899-1902). It was deployed to India in 1905 and to South Africa in 1912. The Regiment is accredited with introducing the Indian game of polo to England in 1834.
Hussars had a reputation for being dashing, adventurous and slightly reckless. They were distinguished by their unusually handsome and often colourful uniforms, inspired by those worn by Hungarian cavalrymen. The 10th Hussars were no exception. They were commonly called ‘The Shiny 10th’ or ‘The Chainy 10th’ from the chain mail epaulettes worn by the officers and the elaborate cross belt which formed part of the uniform.
Sampson Mordan(1790–1843)

ABritish silversmith and co-inventor of the first patented mechanical pencil.He was an apprenticeto the inventor and locksmith Joseph Bramah. From 1823-1837, Sampson Mordanmanufactured and sold silver mechanical pencils with the markings \"SMGR\" with his business partner Gabriel Riddle.After the partnershipwith Riddle dissolved, Mordan continued to sell his silver pencils as \"S. Mordan & Co.\", adding many other types of silver and gold items to his product line. Mordan often madewhimsical \"figural\" shapes that resembled animals, Egyptian mummies, or other objects; like his other silverware and gold ware these items are now highly collectible. Upon Mordan\'s death in 1843, his sons Sampson (junior) and Augustus inherited the firm. \"S. Mordan & Co.\" continued to make silverware until 1941, when bombs destroyed their factory during the London Blitz.

Dimensions as follows ...

Length: 2.3 inches or 5.9 cm

Width: 0.85 inches or 2.3 cm

Depth: 0.35 inches or 10 mm

Weight: 0.9 oz or 25 grams

Samson Mordan noveltysilver items,are highly collectable, and would add value to any silver collection. These delightful silver and enamel novelty vesta cases have become so very collectable and are only going to appreciate in value, in years to come. A real must for any serious silver collector.

This stunning Victorian novelty vesta case would make an ideal gift.

The silver and enamel vesta case willbe sent out recorded, special delivery with insurance.

Please note, all my international postal charges are only estimates andwill be confirmed and altered upor down when I knowthe destination to where, items arebeing sent. Please also note I only charge actual costs of postage and packaging with insurance, no more.

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