!" Silver Charm

Estimate £1,200-£1,500 Sold £2,700

The Victorians loved novelty items, from glass scent bo!les resembling birds’ eggs to silver pincushions designed as pigs and camels. The trend spread to Vesta match cases – named a "er the Roman goddess of the hearth – such as this realistic-looking snail, which sold at Lawrences. If you like silver ‘smalls’, Vesta cases are a great collecting area to explore, with prices starting in the low hundreds of pounds going upwards for rarer items. 01460 73041; lawrences.co.uk