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Book Your Virtual ConsultationA rare 18ct75% pure gold (or 750 parts pure gold and 250 parts other metals) More gold pocket vesta case that was made circa 1880. It would have originally been attached to an Albert chainA style of watch chain popularised by Prince Albert in the Victorian period. Traditionally this style of watch chain has a bar on one end used to attach the chain to a vest button hole. The opposite end of the chain is fitted with a swivel hook to attach the watch, which is then worn in a vest pocket. More worn across the chest. A vesta case, or simply a “vesta” is a small box made to house wax, or “strike anywhere”, matches. The first successful friction match appeared in 1826. The most successful match maker was Newton who named his matches after Vesta, the Roman goddess of fire and the hearth. In England containers for the matches took their name from the term Newton used for his invention, and they became known as “vesta cases”. This Vesta case is a lovely example and hinges open at one end for the matches and at the other end is a serrated gold area for striking the matches. It has been set with a bloodstoneA dark green to dark bluish-green variety of Chalcedony that is splattered with red or brown spots that resemble blood. The extent of the marking varies depending on the stone. Spots are favoured over larger stripes and markings. More that would have been for a crest or monogram of the owner but has never been engraved. It can be worn on a mid length chain.
I love the whole design !
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