Victorian Silver Playing Cards Box with Provenance

A good quality Victorian silver mounted Playing Cards Box of rounded rectangular form with slightly domed hinged lid, standing on four splayed feet. Each side with a beveled glass panel covering colourful playing cards of the period. The interior lined with green leather and with a ribbon to lift the cards.

By Grey & Co, London, 1898.

Complete with two full packs of contemporary Victorian / Edwardian Tobacco advertising Playing Cards (made by Goodall & Son) for HIGNETT'S Tobacco. Also contains a contemporary address card annotated by Mr Theophilus Hignett.

Theophilus Hignett (born 1877 died 19th August 1929, aged 52 years). 6th Son of tobacco manufacturer John Hignett of Hignett Bros' & Co Ltd, 66 Whitechapel, Liverpool. Hignett Bro's were a Liverpool based family firm who started manufacturing tobacco about the mid-1850s. They also had a factory in London. They were one of the 13 firms which amalgamated in 1901 to form "The Imperial Tobacco Company (of Great Britain and Ireland), Ltd".

Apparently Theo was 'a bit of a 'show-off' who lived extravagantly. Allegedly, he cruised around in chauffeur-driven white Rolls Royce's and was very keen on showing horses and carriage driving.

The Court Cards come from a pack made by Charles Goodall in the late 19th century known as ""Goodall's Historic"". They depict Royal costumes from four reigns in English history, viz:-
Clubs - Plantagenet
Diamonds - Tudor
Hearts - Stuart
Spades - Hanoverian

Sold - £2,350.00