Old/antique ? silver cigarette box. Who? When? Where?

This sat on my Grandmother's end table for at leas It feels like t 50 years. I haven't found anything about the etched marks. Silver or sterling? Maker? Thanks for taking a look and your help. Patd

 

Unfortunately those letters and numbers appear to have been done with one of those "engraving pens" (think Dremel or Dremel-like) that many people use to identify their household goods for recovery/insurance in case of theft. A lot of things were marked with the owner's SSN, though that method has gone out of favor (for good reason!) This must be some other form of inventory record, because it certainly does not mean anything in silver marking.

Boxes and cases are often marked somewhere on the flanges of the top or base, so I'd suggest looking all over those parts with a strong loupe in bright light. The bad thing about marking there is the inevitable wear that will eradicate marks over time.

 

Could also be a jewelers repair mark.

 

more likely an antique dealers inventory number.....

if my jeweler ever scratched up one of my items like that.....I'd wail on him !

 

it looks like it was buffed to within an inch of it's life...............
that could take off marks..

 

If it ever had any - some American makers never bothered.

 

To take the last picture was a real challenge. It is on the inside of the front top cover. Some of the lettering looks 'different'. It may have been put there when the item was being made.
There is nothing I can find on the little edges.
Yes, all of Grandmother's silver that was 'out' was cleaned weekly, as it would have been in a proper household of the age.
Patd