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Are Sterling Silver Match Safes Worth Anything more than their scrap silver value?

greg7549

Updated: 5 days ago

Are Sterling Silver Match Safes Worth Anything more than their scrap silver value?

The following is a value guide to sterling match safes:


Set of 3 Dragon Sterling Silver Match Safes - Sold at Morphy Auctions in December of  2024 for $1,500.00.
Set of 3 Dragon Sterling Silver Match Safes - Sold at Morphy Auctions in December of 2024 for $1,500.00.

Match Safes also known as vesta cases were extremely popular in the late 19th century and early 20th century amongst both women and men. Giving a person a "light" for their cigarette was a common way to break the ice socialy and how better to do so than to display a beautiful silver work of art in the process. In today's modern age of cigar rooms and smoking clubs, there has been a renaissance with these pieces and most are very highly collectible some worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.


Lower End Match Safes - A basic match safe that is plain or not very decorated will be valued retail in around the $40-$75 range. A lot of these will also only be marked sterling silver with no real makers marks.


Medium Match Safes - A more decorated piece probably 75% covered in ornate repousse or chasing work and that presents well can value in at the $75-$150 price range retail. Most of these will have a makers mark of some sort and often made by companies like Unger Brothers, Whiting, Gorham or others.


High End Match Safes - These match safes will be even more elobarate and often will be 100% decorated and include themes with art nouveau ladies, dragons, knights, nudes, nautical, indians, gold, horses, griffins, frogs and more. These value at $150- $500 a piece.


Holy Grail Match Safes - These top of the top pieces will have unusual elements like mixed metal or super rich 3 dimensional high relief. They will be made by top of the line makers like Gorham, Tiffany, Unger Brothers, William Kerr, Shiebler, Frank M. Whiting or Whiting. When you see a match safe of this calibur it is like looking at a mini masterpiece of sterling silver. These value out at $500- $2,000.00.

Gold Match Safes - Most gold match safes value out at maybe 10-25% above scrap gold prices. However, if it is a nicer one that is highly ornate and has a desirable theme, it might be worth as much as double its gold value.


Do monograms affect value on match safes? Unlike sterling flatware where a monogram can devalue greatly the pieces, the match safe values are not as much affected by monogramming, inscriptions and personalizations. Devaluation because of monogram or inscription will depend on where the monogram is located and if it detracts from the artistic beauty of the piece or not.



We hope you enjoyed our article on Match Safe Sterling Silver Values!

Let us know if you have any other questions or comments. You can email us directly or leaves comments down below.


Thanks,Greg Arbutine

Sterling Silver Buyers Owner

Sterling Silver Buyers
Sterling Silver Buyers

Sterling Silver Buyers wants to purchase your sterling silver match safes!

Please sell your sterling silver items to Sterling Silver Buyers!





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1月16日
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Interesting article on match safes!

いいね!

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