Edwardian Sterling Silver Oval Trinket Box Raphael Angel Heads, Birmingham, 1912

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Description

Edwardian Sterling Silver Oval Trinket Box with Raphael Angel Heads, Birmingham 1912, 66 grams with velvet and leather interior

Maker: … Read more Edwardian Sterling Silver Oval Trinket Box with Raphael Angel Heads, Birmingham 1912, 66 grams with velvet and leather interior

Maker: Thomas Sidney Buckler (T.S.B.)
Assay Office: Birmingham
Date of Letter: 1912
Dimensions: 2.75" W × 1.75" D × 1.25" H

A finely crafted Edwardian sterling silver trinket box, oval in form and raised on four cabriole feet, made in Birmingham in 1912 by the silversmith Thomas Sidney Buckler. The domed lid is richly decorated in repoussé and chased low relief with five angelic heads, male and female, their feathered wings fanning outward in a composition unmistakably inspired by Raphael’s Renaissance putti. This motif, beloved in Victorian and Edwardian decorative arts, signified innocence, divine guardianship, and celestial beauty.

The smooth, burnished sides contrast elegantly with the ornate lid, emphasizing the refinement of the repoussé work. The hinged cover lifts to reveal a red fabric-lined interior, suggesting the box’s use as a jewel or keepsake container, though its proportions also recall traditional snuff or pill boxes.

This piece reflects the Edwardian taste for Renaissance revival decoration translated into intimate personal objects of silver. Both practical and symbolic, it would have graced a dressing table or served as a cherished gift.

Condition: Very good antique condition, with hallmarks struck clearly on the underside. Light surface wear consistent with age.

Thomas Sidney Buckler (T.S.B.), Silversmith

Active: Birmingham, early 20th century

Thomas Sidney Buckler, identified by his maker’s mark “T.S.B.,” was an English silversmith registered with the Birmingham Assay Office during the Edwardian period. His work is documented through sterling silver hallmarks on small domestic and decorative items produced between roughly 1905 and 1920, including trinket boxes, dressing table accessories, and personal objects of refined design.

Birmingham at this time was one of Britain’s most important centers for silver production, known for its innovation in small wares and fine decorative objects. Buckler’s silver is characterized by careful construction, solid gauge, and ornament that often reflects revivalist and romantic motifs—such as angelic heads, neoclassical details, and repoussé decoration.

The present box, hallmarked in 1912, represents Buckler’s craftsmanship at the height of the Edwardian era. The anchor mark confirms Birmingham origin, the lion passant attests to the sterling standard (.925 purity), and the date letter “n” establishes the exact assay year.

Though not as widely documented as larger firms, Buckler belongs to the thriving network of independent Birmingham silversmiths whose work exemplified the artistry and elegance of English silver at the turn of the 20th century. See less