Ornate silver box bought in Marrakech

[Jumile]

Hi all,

My first post, etc, etc. :)

Whilst on a holiday in Morocco in September 2005 I bought an intricately carved silver box from an antique dealer. It has 4 hallmarks - two on the lid lip and two on the base lip (hidden behind the latch). The base marks are difficult to make out, but the two lid marks appear to be identical. Assuming the two base marks are the same as each other, I've only posted one of each along with the box as a whole.

Lid Hallmark



Base Hallmark



The whole box (see the lid hallmarks to the left of the latch, £2 coin to show size)


The fact I bought it from an antique dealer in the souks of Marrakech and its artwork suggests it's of Moroccan or Arabic origin, but it could just as easily be a mass produced "genuine copy". ;) I don't mind either way, really - it's a beautiful item in its own right.

A look on this website showed the Turkey/Ottoman hallmark was similar, but it wasn't the same. Does anyone have any insight into this item's origin and what the hallmarks indicate?

Cheers,
Matt

[Edit: Restored images from different server.]

[admin]

I believe your mark is the ram's head from Morocco, used after 1925 for .800 fineness. Yours was pointed up, but I've reoriented it in the first image below, the decoration of the lid interfered with the stamping and you only have 2/3 of it. The second example is the whole mark from my files, but a worn version. The third is your example superimposed over mine