Antique oval enamel trinket box

Imported from France to London in 1911, this is an exceptional early-20th-century oval silver and enamel trinket or jewellery box.

The violet colour of the enamel is exquisite and in excellent and original condition. Beneath the transparent enamel are sections of fine, machine-turned engraving that incorporates beading, a starburst pattern on the cover and lattice panels. The interior features the trinket box's original gilding and both lid and cover have London import marks for 1911. Not confined to trinkets and jewels, it would also be suitable for use as a desk tidy.

Vitreous enamel is a decorative, glass-like coating fused on to a metallic base, historically applied on gold, silver and copper. The earliest known enamelled objects were made in 13th century BC during the Mycenæan period.