Hi Elmer,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Pennsylvania-born Victor Schertzinger (1888-1941) was a composer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. His films include Paramount on Parade, Something to Sing About with James Cagney, and the first two "Road" pictures Road to Singapore and Road to Zanzibar.

He also directed the Mikado, the 1939 British musical comedy film based on Gilbert and Sullivan's 1885 comic opera The Mikado. Shot in Technicolor, the film stars Martyn Green as Ko-Ko, Sydney Granville as Pooh-Bah, the American singer Kenny Baker as Nanki-Poo and Jean Colin as Yum-Yum. Many of the other leads and choristers were or had been members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, a professional British light opera company.

The maker's marks on this sterling silver cigarette case have been rubbed so much as to make them very difficult to read but one can assume it was made around the time it was presented to Schertzinger in 1938.

Other sterling cigarette cases of similar vintage that have sold at auction recently have brought prices in the $100-250 range depending on condition, etc.

The provenance to Schertzinger would double that valuation, to $200-500, though that value would likely matter more if sold in an entertainment memorabilia sale.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A vintage British sterling silver cigarette case
circa mid 1930s
with presentation inscription and VS monogram
presented to Victor Schertzinger in 1938 by The D’Oyle Carte Boys
3 x 5 inches
CONDITION: With some wear including rubbing to marks
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$ 200-500*
*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, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia