Alpacca Cigarette Case with Hand-Painted Enamelled Horses, 1900

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Two saddled horses, one bay and one grey, look out across the timber half-door of a stall on the finely … Read more Two saddled horses, one bay and one grey, look out across the timber half-door of a stall on the finely executed vitreous enamel front plaque of this pocket cigarette case. The composition is rendered with subtle tonal shading, picking out details such as the braided browband on the bay, the leather bridles, and the foliage bordering the stable entrance under a soft pastel sky. The case is constructed from alpacca—a resilient nickel-brass alloy historically prized for its silver-like lustre and durability. It features gently rounded corners and convex profiles designed to slide smoothly into a waistcoat or jacket pocket. A side-mounted thumb piece releases the spring catch, while a sturdy multi-joint hinge runs along the opposite edge to ensure positive alignment when closed. Opening the case reveals a double-sided interior fitted with two flexible woven straps secured by metal brackets to retain cigarettes neatly on both sides. The inside surfaces show faint warm washing against the bright metal, and the inner rim is stamped with the Alpacca mark. Made around 1900, cases of this kind were favored accessories in equestrian and sporting circles, serving both as personal pocketware and as display pieces. Measuring approximately 88 mm by 78 mm, it represents classic turn-of-the-century continental metalwork. See less