Antique Silver Combination Match Vesta & Snuff Box Francis Clark Birmingham 1846

Description

A good antique sterling silver combination snuff & vesta case, by the silversmith Francis Clark (1799-1853), Birmingham, dated 1846.
An … more A good antique sterling silver combination snuff & vesta case, by the silversmith Francis Clark (1799-1853), Birmingham, dated 1846.
An unusual combination snuff & silver vesta case, the case having engine turned decoration and two hinged lids to the top, one with a storage area for matches the other with storage for snuff. The vesta side of the case having a ribbed surface to the underside to strike matches. The box with two sets of hallmarks, one to the inside and the other to the underside, with Francis Clark's mark and the anchor for Birmingham, stamped with Queen Victoria's head and the date letter "X" for 1846.
Condition is very good, silver weight is 21 grams.

Francis Clark was the patriarch of quite an accomplished family, he was silversmith in Birmingham until 1850, when he emigrated to Southern Australia, His family went on to be owners of a winery & vineyard. The Clark family also had a large & successful engineering firm, for mining & drilling. In 1901 the family had a gold mining company, owned newspapers and were also involved in Australian politics less