Antique Silver Guides · Mozeris Fine Antiques
Antique Silver Cigar & Cigarette Cases
An antique silver cigar or cigarette case is a flat, hinged sterling case, usually late Victorian to mid-20th century and most often Birmingham or Chester marked. Check inside the case for the lion passant and date letter, then judge the decoration, the maker and the condition of the hinge and engine-turning.
Updated October 2026
Slim, pocket-worn and often beautifully engine-turned or engraved, the silver cigar and cigarette case is a classic of late-Victorian and 20th-century smoking silver. A guide to identifying, dating, valuing and selling antique silver cigar and cigarette cases in the UK.
What Is Your Silver Cigar Case Worth?
Send a photo, including the marks inside, and we'll value it free, with no obligation. We reply within one working day.
The silver cigar or cigarette case was the everyday luxury of the smoking age, carried in the breast pocket, engine-turned to a soft shimmer, often engraved with initials or a presentation. Most are late-Victorian to mid-20th century, and while many are modest, fine enamelled, novelty or named-maker examples are eagerly collected.
Silver cigar & cigarette cases: what they are
A silver cigar or cigarette case is a flat, hinged case, often curved to the body, made to carry cigars or cigarettes in a pocket.
A cigar case or cigarette case is a flat, hinged silver case, often curved to the body, for carrying cigars or cigarettes. Surfaces are typically engine-turned (machine-engraved with fine repeating patterns), plain, or engraved with crests and monograms; the most prized carry enamel decoration, erotic or novelty interiors, or the marks of noted makers. Most were marked at the Birmingham Assay Office or the Chester Assay Office. Browse our silver collection.
"Most cases are modest gauge silver, but an enamelled, novelty or fine named-maker case is valued very differently from the plain ones."
What collectors look for
Collectors of silver cigar cases look first for enamel, novelty forms and concealed interiors, then for named makers and crisp condition.
- Enamel & noveltyEnamelled scenes, sporting or novelty cases and concealed interiors are keenly collected.
- Named makersSampson Mordan, Asprey and noted makers, or retailer-marked cases, add value.
- ConditionCrisp engine-turning, sound hinge and clasp, no dents, splits or worn-through engraving.
- EngravingTasteful period monograms or presentation inscriptions; heavy modern engraving can detract.
What are antique silver cigar cases worth?
Every piece is valued individually. These are the things we look at:
What drives value
- DecorationEnamel, novelty and concealed interiors, against plain engine-turning.
- MakerSampson Mordan, Asprey and other noted or retailer-marked makers.
- WeightHeavier gauge silver.
- ConditionCrisp engraving, a sound hinge and clasp, and no dents or splits.
- Sterling or platePlated (EPNS) cases have decorative value only.
Every piece is different. Send us a few photos and we will tell you what your cigar case is worth, free and with no obligation. Get a free valuation
What Determines Value
The value of a silver cigar case is decided by its decoration, its maker, the weight of silver, its condition and whether it is sterling or plate.
The factors we assess on a silver cigar or cigarette case:
- Decoration: Enamel and novelty over plain engine-turning.
- Maker: Mordan, Asprey and noted makers add value.
- Weight: Heavier gauge silver carries more.
- Condition: Crisp engraving, sound hinge, no dents or splits.
- Engraving: Tasteful period monograms over heavy modern work.
- Marks: Clear hallmarks inside (often Birmingham/Chester).
Marks are inside. Look for the lion passant for sterling. Plate is marked EPNS.
What We Look For When a Cigar Case Arrives
When a silver cigar or cigarette case arrives we open it first and read the marks inside: the lion passant, the town mark, usually the Birmingham anchor or Chester, the date letter and the maker's mark.
Then we check the hinge and the clasp, look along the edges for splits and dents, and judge how crisp the engine-turning and any engraving still are. Enamel is checked closely for chips and restoration.
How selling works
- Send photosUse the form on this page, or email them to us.
- A specialist reviews itMaker, marks, age and condition.
- Free estimate by emailWithin one working day.
- You decidePaid once agreed. No obligation.
Free valuation
Request a free valuation
Send us a few photos of your cigar case. A specialist looks at every request personally and replies by email with an estimate within one working day. There is no obligation to sell.
What to photograph
- The whole piece. Front and back, with the case closed.
- The case open. The interior, showing any fittings or engraving.
- The hallmarks, close up. Inside the case, usually on the lid or the rim.
Prefer email? Send photos to info@mozerisfineantiques.com or call 01376 334 482.
Ways to sell
- Mayfair (by appointment)
- Braintree (by appointment)
- Royal Mail Special Delivery
- Free FedEx collection
We buy directly, with payment once you accept our offer, and we can also sell for you by consignment or in our own auctions.
How to identify and date your case
Open the case: the hallmarks are inside, where the lion passant confirms sterling and the date letter gives the year.
| Mark | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Maker's mark | The initials of the maker or firm, in a shield. |
| Lion passant | The English mark for sterling silver. |
| Town mark | The assay office: leopard's head for London, anchor for Birmingham. |
| Date letter | The year of assay. The letter style and shield change with each cycle. |
Open the case and look inside for the lion passant (sterling), town mark, date letter and maker's mark; most are marked at the Birmingham Assay Office (the anchor) or the Chester Assay Office. Plated cases stamped EPNS are worth far less; see our EPNS vs sterling silver guide.
The date letter dates it. Use our how to read silver hallmarks guide. Most cases are light, so the silver price valuation guide sets a floor: decoration and maker decide the rest.
Smoking and small silver go together. See our guides to vesta cases, card cases and browse our silver for sale. When you're ready to sell, visit sell your silver.
Sterling or plate?
Sterling silver
- Lion passant: the English sterling mark
- A town mark, a date letter and a maker's mark
- Valued as antique silver: maker, date, form and condition
Silver plate (EPNS)
- Stamped EPNS or A1, with no lion passant or date letter.
- The marks often imitate hallmarks, so check each one
- Worth far less: decorative value only
Value Your Cigar or Cigarette Case
Send photographs of the case and the marks inside, and we'll give you an honest, no-obligation valuation.
Strictly by appointment only: no walk-ins at either office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Antique silver cigar and cigarette cases: common questions.
What is the difference between a cigar and cigarette case?
How much is an antique silver cigar case worth?
What is engine-turning?
Does a monogram reduce value?
How do I tell sterling from plate?
Where can I sell an antique silver cigar case in the UK?
Send Us Your Photographs
Attach photos of the case and the marks inside. We'll respond within one working day.
Sell Your Antique Silver Cigar or Cigarette Case
We buy antique sterling silver cigar and cigarette cases (engine-turned, enamelled, novelty and named makers) valued as antique silver, not as scrap. Free valuation, no obligation.
Thinking of selling? Find out how to sell your silver with a free valuation from photographs.