William III Britannia standard silver tobacco box, London 1698 by William South
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1698
This English tobacco box, crafted from Britannia standard silver, dates to 1698 during the reign of William III. The vessel features an elegant oval form accented by reeded and corded rims.
Its lid is intricately decorated with a contemporaneous mirror cypher displaying the initials TS, enclosed within an oval cartouche and surrounded by sophisticated Baroque foliate scrolls. The interior of the box retains visible traces of its original gilding. The construction includes a stand-away hinge attached to the side, which is considered to be of a slightly later early 18th-century date. Measuring 9.2 cm in length and weighing 133 grams, the box exhibits hallmark stamps on its base, with additional partial marks located on the lid.
The piece was manufactured by William South, a London goldsmith who registered in April 1697 and operated from Foster Lane. The object serves as a refined example of late 17th-century English silversmithing, specifically designed for the preservation and presentation of tobacco in a formal domestic setting.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Length
- 9.2 cm
- Weight
- 133 grams
- Material
- Britannia standard silver
Technical characteristics
- Hinge
- Stand-away hinged to the side
- Hallmarks
- Fully marked to base, part-marked to lid
Design
- Form
- Oval
- Decoration
- Reeded and corded rims, engraved mirror cypher initials TS, Baroque foliate scrolls
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- William South
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.