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Antique 1820 Vienna Silver Snuff Box Jacob Schützenhofer JS 13 Loth Hand Engraved
An extraordinary, museum-quality antique early 19th-century Austrian silver snuff box (Vienna, dated 1820). Crafted from massive, heavy-gauge silver, this box features remarkably deep and crisp hand-engraved geometric artwork across all panels. Bearing complete official Viennese assay markings and maker’s stamps, it represents a prime example of Biedermeier-era Austrian silversmithing.
Condition & Specifications
Condition: Very good antique condition. Crisp hinge, flush closure, and exceptionally clear engraving with light, authentic age patina.
Length: 8.0 cm
Width: 5.0 cm
Height: 1.3 cm
Silversmith History: Jacob Schützenhofer / Jakob Schütz
Registered under the prestigious Viennese Guild during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Schütz / Schützenhofer workshop (operating with the oval master punch J.S) was renowned for high-end metalwork and precision hand-chiseling. Active in Vienna across the transition from the Neoclassical period into the refined early Biedermeier era, master silversmith Jacob Schützenhofer (active 1812–1834) specialized in heavy luxury silver wares, small personal boxes, and snuff containers tailored for the Austrian nobility and high society.
Understanding 13 Loth Silver & Hallmarks
Prior to the adoption of the metric millesimal system, the Austrian Empire measured silver purity using the Loth system (where 16 Loth represented pure silver):
13 Loth Purity: 13 Loth corresponds to 812.5/1000 fine silver (\\frac{13}{16} = 812.5‰), the official imperial standard for high-grade silver boxes and tableware during the Habsburg monarchy.
City & Year Assay Mark (Alt-Wiener Punze): Clear 1820 imperial stamp with the letter A, designating the Vienna central assay office.
Tax / Re-Assay Control Mark (Taxstempel): Features the distinct early 19th-century incuse square control stamp confirming official luxury tax verification under Emperor Francis I.
Historical Context: Vienna Silver Snuff Boxes
During the early 1800s, Vienna was the artistic and cultural epicenter of Central Europe. Snuff boxes produced in Vienna during this decade were not merely functional containers for tobacco, but critical status symbols displaying wealth, refined taste, and allegiance to imperial craftsmanship. Known for their tight, flush-fitting bezels (designed to keep snuff fresh and dry) and substantial weight, Viennese boxes from 1820 remain among the most sought-after objects by serious antique silver and Judaica collectors worldwide.
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Gift & Luxury Keywords: Unique Antique Gift Idea, Luxury Vintage Silver Gift, Rare Collector Gift Idea, Heirloom Birthday Gift for Him, Luxury Anniversary Gift, Collector Silver Present.
