A French Silver Amethyst Pill box

with 45 carats of Amethyst c.1880.

Manufactured pills were a product of the Victorian Era, so it’s no surprise that elaborately decorated pill box arrived around the same time. Made out of everything from wood and bone to gold, silver, and stone, pill boxes quickly became must-have ornamental accessories.

Because of their diminutive size, pill boxes are often mistaken for snuff boxes. In fact, the utility of a pill box is its size rather than its original purpose, which is why Victorians frequently used the smallest antique snuff boxes they could find to hold their pills.

• Material and Technique Silver and Amethyst
• Origin French
• Period 1880s
• Hallmark Weevil (French Import)
• Dimensions W 8.5cm x D 5cm x H 1cm

Product REF: 447P