Featured Little metal hinged box. age and what for.

It is 2 1/4" diameter and is 3/4" height. Looks like silver plated? not sure what to call it.

Mikey

 

Could be a snuff box. Some might call it a pill box, but seems kind of big for pills.

 

Yeah it's more the size of a compact.
Mikey

 

It could have held loose powder and a puff then.

Debora

 

Looks like the lid would have originally held a mirror. So a rouge pot or compact.

 

I'd compare it in size to those to be found on eBay, which typically have both a mirror and a glass insert, by way.

Debora

 

@916Bulldogs123
I am with you. Also there is kind of space in the lid inside of box - enough for a mirror.

 

@916Bulldogs123 Here you are, just similar kind. Also, the "ball" on the lid of yours looks like sterling. Maybe you should clean it to be sure it is not a silver.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1854214266...OiRmNILORTlmvopzzloQjGqlr5dhUD4ASSoyrHA&gQT=1

 

Could be silverplate, but might be nickel. I recall my grandmother had some eggcups that were nickel and not silverplated. The base was "fancy" and there were ceramic cups to hold the egg.

 

Nick nacks, stamps, dusting powder, all of the above and maybe some other things too...

 

i'd definitely test it for silver, theres something yummy looking about the inner for silver. There might even be a mark on the inner lid rim

gonna look splendid with a good clean, think you might be pleasantly surprised mate

 

That means I have to polish it. I was hoping to avoid that lol.
Mikey

 

just think about it as excavating potential money signs

man i love a good polish, especially when its a 50/50 situation and that silver starts coming up buttery smooth

 

Rub good with your thumb first. If your thumb turns black, your odds just went up. Be sure to do it before washing hands, no after. Skin oils remove tarnish. The harder it is to budge, the more the odds of plate or nickel increase.

 

ok ok ok
First attempt

 

looking nicer already, think i'm seeing brassy tones on the lid though, but could be reflections i guesss

either way its gonna look way better after

 

No. The only possible brass I saw was on the hinge.
Mikey

 

Exactly!!! You never will know, if you never will check.

 

Mikey, it is for money! Also what you did, it is hardly to call "polishing". It is just slightly cleaning.

 

@916Bulldogs123 Mikey, actually I fell guilty that told you about your polishing, because I found some old hard tarnished silver plated picture frame in Goodwill for $9.99 around 10 years ago. It was so tarnished till dark black color. I bought it only because the design and pattern looks kind of old, but the back of frame looked very "vintage". I was checking in the store and didn't' find any name or marks on the frame and I decided to buy, clean it home, and probably give it back to donation. Well, I brink it home, took my magnifying glass and started looking for some marks on the frame. I was so lazy, that I even didn't start to clean it. I just was checking the frame and I found!!!!! I found hallmarks. I have cleaned tiny spot with hallmarks, found that it is sterling silver around end of 19th century, I found the maker and.... because it was during our moving from one house to another, I put this frame in the bank safety box and it is still there! And I never clean it!!!! Actually I just remember about this frame. I think it is time to clean it and present it to our older grandson, who will be married in October. I will go to the bank on Monday, bring it, clean it, make pictures for this post and put it back to the bank till October. I actually even forgot the maker's name!
Inessa