Exceptional Chinese Export Silver Filigree Dragons Card Case w Original Box. Presented is a superb quality antique Chinese export silver card case. The case is made in a fantastically detailed filigree design, with applied filigree decoration in the form of two dragons circling a silver pearl, surrounded by stylized clouds. The back of the case is also decorated in the center panel, but this design is not raised and figural as on the front, but rather a delicate floral design against the finest mesh-like filigree background imaginable. The case is designed to look like an old style leather-bound book, though it doesn’t open like a book. The lid is at the top and opens by means of a little round button on the side. The card case comes with its original glass-faced storage box, indicating that even in its heyday this piece was considered a work of art worthy of display. The case sits securely in a rectangular recess, lined with blue fabric. The underside of the exterior box has a signature or other mark in Chinese characters, as well as another longer set of markings. The case is in great condition. The spring mechanism of the lid is in good working order and responds to the button press very well. There is a very minor compression to the filigree on the back side, at the upper lefthand corner, with a very tiny split, very hard to notice. This is visible in the ninth photo, though keep in mind the pictures show the piece greatly magnified. The filigree is all intact with no losses. The case could easily be cleaned and polished up, but given its age and rarity we have left the original patina intact with only light cleaning. The exterior case has some wear to the edges, as you’d expect, but the glass is quite clean and has no chips or cracks. Someone has put clear tape around the exterior box to keep the decoration more intact. The case measures about 3 ¼ by 2 1/8 by 3/8 of an inch. The storage box measures about 4 1/8 by 3 by 1 inch. The case weighs 40.3 grams or 1.4 regular ounces. Powered by SixBit’s eCommerce Solution. The item “Exceptional Chinese Export Silver Filigree Dragons Card Case w Original Box” is in sale since Thursday, November 15, 2018. This item is in the category “Antiques\Silver\Sterling Silver (.925)\Card Cases”. The seller is “robertcharlessilver” and is located in Essex, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Age: 1850-1899
- Composition: 900 Silver