This is a cigarette case that was delicately manufactured circa 1900 as an honourary present gifted by the Noble House of Kinsky. The case is constructed of silver, with a textured exterior, featuring the Coat of Arms of the Kinsky Family on the exterior, constructed of solid 18kt gold and fine quality manufacture enamels, attached to the case via eleven very fine rivets. The right side of the interior is signed “Kinsky” in blackened etching. It features a fully functional spring catch with stud release, with a spring-loaded hinge that allows the case to open once the release is depressed. It features several markings, including the maker mark “L. Schuchs, NFG. Wien”, the stamped number “6580 77”, as well as the Austrian silver hallmark denoting “900” silver content and “1872-1922” manufacture, as well as an additional double-struck maker mark. It measures 80 mm (w) x 86 mm (h); in overall extremely fine condition.
Footnote: According to legend, the story of the Noble Kinsky Household began in Bohema over 1000 years ago, when the beautiful daughter of a king was attacked in a forest by a pack of wolves, and saved by a young man. In gratitude, the king ennobled the young man, and granted him a Coat of Arms that depicted the teeth of three voles as a sign of his bravery. The family rose to power during an era of religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, which ultimately resulted in the Thirty Year’s War, after which, a branch of the family was elevated to Princes of the Holy Rolam Empire by Empress Maria Theresa. Many member’s of the family served in high diplomatic or military positions within the Habsburg Monarchy and subsequently the Austrian Empire.