Antique Gilt Metal Jewelry Casket, Reticulated Rose Lid, c. 1900–1925
Viridian Eclection
The Piece A small oval jewel casket in cast white metal under a gold wash, standing on four scrolled cabriole feet. The body is a shallow drum with a finely stippled ground between beaded rims, set...
The Piece
A small oval jewel casket in cast white metal under a gold wash, standing on four scrolled cabriole feet. The body is a shallow drum with a finely stippled ground between beaded rims, set into a deep apron cast with rococo shells and scrollwork. The hinged lid carries a reticulated panel of roses, daisies and trailing foliage inside a beaded border, with a raised oval cartouche at the centre ringed in beading. Red fabric shows through the piercings from below, so the flowers read gold against red.
The lid is hung on a multi-knuckle pin hinge worked into the back of the casting, and it closes square. Lid and body each carry their own fitted red velvet pad, two separate linings rather than one. The inside of the casting is left as bare pale metal, the gold wash having been applied to the show surfaces only.
The central cartouche is blank and unengraved, and the gold has gone from it entirely, down to bare grey-white metal with fine surface scratching. The same has happened at the foot tips and along the lid rim. There is a short casting line at the right edge of the cartouche where the applied piece meets the pierced panel. Nothing is missing.
History & Provenance
That blank oval is the key to what this is. Jewel caskets of this specification were sold through jewellers and department stores with the centre cartouche left plain so the retailer could engrave the recipient's monogram, which is why so many survive blank: they were bought and given without the engraving ever being ordered. A purely decorative box has no reason to carry a smooth, beaded, undecorated oval in the middle of an otherwise busy lid.
The rest of the specification belongs with it. Cast white metal under a gold wash, gilded on the show surfaces and left bare inside; a pin hinge worked into the casting rather than a plate screwed on; separately made and fitted velvet pads for lid and body; a reticulated flower lid backed with coloured fabric; a cast rococo apron with integral scroll feet. This is the standard build of the small jewel casket as the trade produced it either side of 1900, in white metal for the popular price point and in gilt bronze for the carriage trade.
No maker's mark is visible on any surface photographed, and the underside has not been examined. An absence of a mark sets a ceiling and never a floor, so the case here rests on the specification rather than on documentary evidence. On that evidence it is offered as c. 1900–1925. Makers working in this line commonly stamped a model number on the base, and that would settle it.
Product Details
| Type | Oval hinged jewel casket |
| Materials | Cast white metal with gold wash, velvet linings |
| Lid | Reticulated rose and foliage panel over red fabric, blank monogram cartouche at centre |
| Hinge | Multi-knuckle pin hinge cast into the body |
| Feet | Four cast scroll feet |
| Era | c. 1900–1925 |
| Marks | None visible on the surfaces examined |
| Length | 3.25 in. |
| Width | 2.75 in. |
| Height | 2 in. |
| Condition | Sound, hinge working, lid closing square. Gold wash bright across the relief with wear through to bare metal on the central cartouche, the foot tips and the lid rim. Short casting line at the edge of the cartouche. Velvet linings clean and intact. No losses or repairs. |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
Small gold boxes earn their place by being useful every day. This one sits on a dresser or a bathroom shelf and takes the rings that come off at night, and it looks like an heirloom while doing it. The red behind the pierced flowers is what makes it, a warm glow under the gold that photographs far better than a plain lid ever would.
The blank cartouche is an invitation. It was left for a monogram a hundred years ago and never filled, so it is still available to whoever wants it engraved now.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
