Düsseldorf silver snuff box

[ktiggeloven]

Dear fellow forum members,

I could use some help with a German silver box which I added to my collection. It is a nice little box which I believe to have been used for snuff or tobacco (but if it's used for something else, please tell me). It bears a mark for Düsseldorf with only the anchor(so without the lion) making me think it's quite an early mark. It also bears a 13 mark (for silver content) and the makers mark IH (or JH). Could anybody tell me around what period this piece is made, and by what maker. If anybody has information on this, I'll be very grateful. The dimension of the box are 8x4x3 cm, and the piece weighs 121 grams. It is quite a sturdy made box. Also the engraving holds a crest. I know this is not the forum for this, but if anybody happens to know who or what the crest is of, I'll be very welcome for that information as well.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Kind regards,

Kasper

[silverfan]

Hi Kasper,
if it is Düsseldorf, the oval anchor mark dates before 1704, because beginning in 1704 the town mark is anchor and lion and from 1732 a 12 and from 1761 a 13 is added.
The only matching initials IH (but in an other form and much later) I found in: Karl Bernd HEPPE, Düsseldorfer Goldschmiede 1596 - 1918, for Johann Albert Hoffmann born 1790 married 1817.
Unfortunately that does not answer the question.
P.S.: The crest, I think, stands for Danzig
Regards Dirk

[ktiggeloven]

Hi Dirk,

Thanks for the info. I already thought it was quite an early box. Very nice to find out the crest is for Danzig. It shows the different hanze cities had quite some trade back in the day.
kind regards,

Kasper