Russian Tobacco Box early 20th Century
The item is a tobacco box measuring approx. 6" x 3" x 1.5". The exterior is metal (unknown to me) with engraving, Cyrillic characters and such. Inside, the lid and box interior is wood of some sort.
An Ebay purchase from about 20 years ago. I have nothing related to that sale.
Auction House
Maybe
Hi Peter,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
An antique Russian pewter mounted cedar cigarette or cigar box
early 20th Century
The rectangular hinged-lid box inscribed Табак Превоз (tobacco transport) on either side of a double-headed eagle, with larger Cyrillic inscription -зньІи (knowledge)
1-1/2 inches high, 6 inches long, 3 inches deep
CONDITION: appears to be in good condition.
PROVENANCE: acquired on eBay circa 2000
$300-500*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, and thank you again for using Mearto.
Peter, thanks for the photos. If it doesn't have any maker's marks, this isn't silver, which is the overlying value maker. It's probably pewter; the larger Cyrillic letters spell out -зньІи (knowledge) there isn't a mark for the "D" first character. An alternate meaing for "Prevoz" is transport, which could mean "box." The double-eagle is usually a good indicator of Russian origin but the Cyrillic translation doesn't make much sense to me.
Thanks very much, Delia. All for now, I guess. I have some more in the near future.
Hi Delia: I went over it with a magnifying glass. If you look on the lid to the right of the Romanov double eagle, the words Табак and Превоз are shown.Using my internet translater the first is "Tobacco" and the next is translated to "Prevoz". Perhaps that is a name or a brand? This is all I could find. I'm sending a photo of that area.
-Pete