Past Timed Auction

The Joseph & Miriam Poser Collection of Silver Card Cases, Vesta & Matchsafes

Soft close begins Thu, Feb 25, 2021 at 10am EST

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Sale Total Far Surpassed the Estimate with 100% of the Lots Sold!

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Successful Auction of The Joseph & Miriam Poser Collection of Silver Card Cases, Vesta & Matchsafes on February 25, 2021
Sale Total Far Surpassed the Estimate with 100% of the Lots Sold!
Consignments Are Currently Being Offered for Future Auctions

NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held the successful auction of The Joseph & Miriam Poser Collection of Silver Card Cases, Vesta & Matchsafes on February 25, 2021. This remarkable and extensive collection offered an exciting opportunity for seasoned collectors and new buyers alike to add to an existing collection or begin a new one!

With competitive bidding, the sale totaled $46,589, far surpassing the pre-sale estimate of $19,750-29,250, with an exceptional 100% of the lots sold!

Highlighting the sale was an 1849 castle top card case depicting the famed Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York by Nathaniel Mills, Birmingham, that achieved $2,394, more than triple its estimate of $500-700.

The Joseph and Miriam Poser Collection of Silver Card Cases, Vesta and Matchsafes represents over forty years of a shared passion. The Posers built their collection with visits to some of the most well known silver and antiques dealers on both sides of the Atlantic. Their collection encapsulates the world in miniature with American, English, Continental, Chinese and Japanese examples competing for attention.

A precursor to modern business cards, calling cards were a French tradition that the British turned into a world of subtle nuances that helped regulate their complex society. Card cases equally represented the social status of the holder and were very personal in style and taste. There are beautiful Victorian “Castle Top” card cases that are the Rolls Royce of collectible card cases, including a rare English example depicting Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City.

Equally personal were the vesta/matchsafes that form the other half of this collection. Over one hundred are represented here including wonderful novelty examples formed as snakes, clamshells, and schools of fish, while others show various sporting passions. These small silver cases were of vital importance for carrying matches when they were the only reliable way to create light, but at the same time the unstable composition of matches meant they were susceptible to self combustion in a person’s pocket!

All prices include the Buyers Premium.

We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for future sales. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

For information, please contact Todd Sell, 212-427-4141, ext 269, [email protected]