Continental silver boxes come in wide range of shapes and is usually marked as .800 although they can also be found with higher silver content.
Below are some examples and price guides of some continental silver boxes including a novelty windmill music box and an Art Nouveau German silver box.
A CONTINENTAL SILVER MUSIC BOX
19th century.
Sold for US$2,816 inc. premium at Bonhams in 2023
A CONTINENTAL SILVER-GILT, GILT-METAL, AND ENAMEL WINDMILL FORM MUSIC BOX
PROBABLY AUSTRIAN, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
On a circular base with chain railing, the windmill walls and blades painted with enamel scenes of courtship, the circular roof lifting off to reveal a velvet lined compartment with winding mechanism for the musical mechanism, apparently unmarked
73⁄4 in. (19.7 cm.) high
Sold for USD 1,890 at Christie’s in 2023
CONTINENTAL GILT SILVER & GEMSTONE CASKET
foliate box, the lid with a central neoclassical hand-painted scene surrounded by inset gemstones of garnets, amethysts and seed pearls.L.: 12.7 cm (5 in.) W.: 8.9 cm (3 1/2 in.)
Sold for CA$700 at A.H. Wilkens Auctions & Appraisals in 2024
This is a extraordinary rare Art Nouveau Continental 800 German silver box with a fine detail design and patina. It could be used as a cigarette box business card or credit card box. It has a name of several cities such as Paris Rome Florance Milan Munich Mexico Geneva London Brussels and Queens town. It weights approx 3.65 ounces and measures approx 4″ by 4″ by 0.6″. It is fully hallmarked “800 M & K” with some other hallmarks.
Sold for US$1,275 at Mynt Auctions in 2024
A Continental .830 silver novelty spice box formed as an articulated fish. Stamped 830, probably Scandinavian. Approx. 6 3/4″ long
Sold for £280 at Claydon Auctioneers Ltd in 2024
