This 19th-century silver box was once carried by a well-to-do lady to escape everyday smells! These tiny boxes would be filled with a little sponge, perfumed with perfume that was known as 'l'eau du rheine' or queenswater. In Dutch, this French term was muddled into the phonetic 'loderein' so they are also known as 'loderein boxes'.
This particular example is shaped like an oval hat box and decorated with a border of putti, each placed inside a garland. It has a little handle on top, making it wearable on a chatelaine, and the top is engraved 'KV', likely the initials of the original owner.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 35 x 33 x 22 mm.
Weight: 17.25 grams
Age: Hallmarked 'G' for 1816.
Material and maker: Hallmarked with a Dutch hallmark for 835/1000 silver. It carries the maker's mark for Jan van Eck, a silversmith who operated in Schoonhoven between 1816 and 1825.
Condition: In good antique condition with signs of wear, including little dents and scuffs, consistent with age. These can be seen in the pictures.
This shop is based in the EU. Although antiques are exempt from taxes in most countries, buyers from outside the EU might be subject to import taxes.