Featured Help with ID on sterling needle case

Hi all, I picked this sweet needle case at the home of a former dealer, they knew nothing about it other than it's a needle case.

It measures 1-7/16" (37cm) long. If I'm reading the marks correctly it is Chester dated 1727, a whole lot earlier than I expected! The maker's mark looks like R•B. I am not finding a maker in Chester with that mark.

I know the photo of the marks isn't the greatest, I can keep trying to get something better if you would like me to.

If anyone could correct or confirm what I am seeing I would really appreciate it!

 

Maybe it isn't an R, but another B

 

Chester 1902, I think its a cheroot holder case.

 

That'd be a damn short cheroot!

 

For the cheroot holder not the cheroot.

 

Ah...Got it

 

Another possibility (much more likely in my opinion) is Rolason Brothers:



Phil

 

Could be Richard Burgess, a case maker in Liverpool, 1845

 

show the makers stand , you think it might be !!

 

wouldn't that have a London stamp on it ?

 

Pretty thing!
I agree with Rolason Brothers 1902 cheroot holder case, unfortunately missing the cheroot holder.
It's much too short for a needle case.

 

OK, I am confused here. Do I have the Chester mark right? If so then the script B date mark in a square with rounded corners is 1727 according to this from 925-1000 for Chester date marks. Unless I have Chester wrong which is always a possibility.

 

ha....B looks good for 1727
shield looks good for 1902 ....

 

Now that’s confusing! Probably the mark was not clearly struck so the little squiggle at the bottom of the rectangle isn’t there. I think the shield mark leans me to go with 1902

 

The shield rules over the outer shape of the date letter mark.
From what I've been told before, that shape isn't always precise.
Also, 1902 fits just right with the Rolason Brothers mark, and when cheroots were popular in England.
AI says, "Cheroots were popular in England during the peak of the British Empire, particularly in the 19th and early 20th centuries, largely due to their association with colonial life in India and Myanmar (formerly Burma). British officials and travelers brought them back, and they became a symbol of that era's culture and leisure."

 

I've never seen or heard of one of these. Even going to the internet, I still don't understand how it's used. I understand why it's used but not the how. In Komo's photo that amber thing is the cheroot holder right? And the sterling silver is the container for the amber thing right? So how do you use the amber thing to smoke a cheroot? Is there a little hole on the rounded end of the cheroot holder to inhale the smoke? And what's all that white gunk on the edge of the holder? TY.