Posted 12 years ago
Bikenstein
(11 items)
I'm assuming this is a cigarette case. I found it at a flea market, a Poole Silver Co. plated box with wood liner. The odd thing about it is it's engraved " In Appreciation W R Lathrop Jr" , ex president of the Southern Life and Health Insurance Co whose logo is stamped in the lid. I guess at the time he gave this as a gift, smokin wasn't known to be hazardous to your health. Anyway it has Poole Silver Co. 2000 on the back. I don't think that's a year indication because he died long before that. Maybe the box was also used for somethin else. Anybody know how to date this?
Interesting little puzzle you have! Poole was absorbed by Towle in 1971. You didn't post a hallmark for your piece, so I can't compare it to any of the marks I find in the reference works under Poole or Towle. Dorothy Rainwater's "Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers" (5th edition) gives quite a number of Poole hallmarks on p.186. Here's a link to a Poole STERLING hallmark. (I don't think that your box is sterling, but this is the hallmark I found online.) None of the hallmarks for Towle in Rainwater match or are similar to any of the Poole hallmarks in Rainwater.
Because it is lined with wood, I rather think that it's probably a cigarette box for the home, and not a cigarette case to carry on one's person. What are the dimensions, please? I don't know anything at all about vintage and antique cigarette cases and boxes, but someone will. Hopefully, soon.
http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_P2.html
Thanks AmberRose. You're right Mikko, it's not sterling and there is no hallmark visible. On the back, it reads EPCA POOLE SILVER CO 2000. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Hems303. Thanks for the information. Sounds like she was really loved here. There seems to be some good camaraderie to be found on this site. My wife gave me the name for revivin' old motorcycles lol.
Hi, follow some links to provide info on your piece. Poole didn't date their silver, and so 2000 stands for something else, possibly a style number. First link provides advice for assessing a date range for Poole Silver items.
http://www.ehow.com/how_12082250_manufacture-date-poole-silver-plate.html
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/poole-silver-co-cigarette-box
http://www.silvercollection.it/AMERICANSILVERPLATEMARKSP.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_epca_silver_mean
http://www.silversmithing.com/1forum.htm
Thanks for the links miKKoChristmas11. I know it has little value because it's epca, it's still unusually heavy though. I can see it will be hard to date.
Hi, Bikenstein! I wouldn't assume that it's not worth very much because it's EPCA, sir. Some non-sterling items are of very high quality. If there are portions of silver loss, then it might not be worth much from a commercial viewpoint. If there is no silver loss, the engraving is fine, and there is no damage to the wood lining or box, then it could have some commercial value. Yes, it would be worth more if sterling. Yes, it will be hard to date. You could ask Poole for how many years they made this box, and you could research and see when the previous owner retired. Best wishes for success! : )
miKKo, I had researched Mr. Lathrop and found several posts. For some reason, I now find nothing. I read he had retired in 81 and did much for the city of Birmingham Al, even being involved with the arts, I believe. I read his obituary in several places last week but I can't find anything today except for a listing of his birth and death date in a people search at faqs.org.
Hi, birkenstein! Yes, that sometimes happens on the web - no, you're not going crazy. I found a 12-21-1991 "Baltimore Sun" obit that indicated that William Romeyn Lathrop Jr retired in 1981.
"...who retired as president of Southern Life and Health Insurance Co. of Birmingham, Ala. in 1981..."
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-12-29/news/1991363076_1_satellite-communications-fort-monmouth-war-ii
So, your box likely was produced before 1982. If you contact Poole - which is now owned by Towle - you might well be able to find the date of first issue of this design. Then, your box would have a date range. : D
Thanks miKKo :). I think it could be much earlier than 82 to make it appropriate for a president of an insurance company to give a cigarette box for a gift! Thanks for your interest and help.
Thanks Phil
I have a question for you Bikenstein: Did u ever find out anythibg about your box? I'm asking because believe it or not I actually have a box just like it! Even has the same engraving, "In Appreciation. M R Lathrop Jr". I can't seem to find much on it but ran across your questions here. Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
kraadams, That's pretty cool you found another one. No, I haven't found anything else on it. Oh well
I have one too.
It's an old item... coming at this from another direction.
I am researching family links... William Romeyn Lathrop, Jr is my 4th cousin 2x removed... he is son of William Romeyn Lathrop (b. NY) and Flora Caldwell Orr (b. Alabama, daughter of Cyrus Pitman Orr who emigrated over from Ontario)
W R Lathrop married Marguerite Eilertsen in 1946.
That's all I know about him at the moment... But this page has introduced me to more about him!
Thanks
Oliver
Thank you for that information, OliverSlay. I'm very pleased to meet you.
It adds greatly to my personal value of the case being able to hear from a family member. Good luck with your research and I'm happy to have contributed in some way.