WE SHIP! The AEAA is very proud to present this stunning pair of ca. 1905-1915, marked Sterling silver (.925), and Bristol Silveroin (*** see history below) vestas (match safes), in rectangular styles. The Sterling has a renaissance floral wreath medallion, and the RARE Bristol was made exclusively for the Coburn Mfg. Co. as their Trolley Track advertising favor. Both have round bar springs, and weigh a total of 35.4 grams, the larger measuring 1.625 x 2.625 inches tall. The sterling lid needs re-soldering. These fine heirlooms are from the living estate of Ailene & Buddy Ford, lifelong collectors / dealers of valuable antiques. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Internationally, well over 2,000 styles of match safes / Vestas were produced during the 1870-1920 half century. Repousse Rococo, Italian Renaissance, Louis XIV, Art Nouveau, and later Art Deco styles were prevalent. Materials used for this special art form were; Sterling Silver, enameled iron, platinum, gold in any grade or color, a Japanese style called mokume gane (resembling wood grain), copper, silver plated (EPNS-England), and bronze. The Vesta has become a prime collectible, and are very valuable. NON-SILVER VESTAS WERE ALSO KNOWN, in the form of German Silver (the silvery-white alloy made of copper, nickel and zinc. This alloy contains no silver at all!) Bristol Mfg. of N. Attleboro, Mass. presented their exclusive alloy Silveroin, with the trade name used from 1895-1915, and constituted a proprietary, non-silver alloy that has the malleability & looks remarkably like legitimate Sterling silver. The Keystone Watch Co. also had their own nickel, tin & zinc alloy, called Silveroid, used in early watch cases. SILVER SOLDER CAN ALSO BE FOUND, in a varying compounds from ~ 4% silver & 96% tin to a high commercial grade with ~ 56% silver, plus tin, with traces of copper & iron, with a tensile strength of 70.000 PSI.

Sterling very good needs lid re-soldering, Bristol / Coburn excellent XA - B233