Windsor & Kenilworth Card Case, 1837

Contained with a top quality and interesting wooden box, this fabulous double-sided castle top silver card case remains in excellent crisp condition. The scenes depicted are two major English castles: Windsor and Kenilworth, with both framed and backed to top and bottom with fine, tartan-style engine turned decoration. The quality of this square-edged card case is superb and it has a wonderful feeling in the hand. The condition is simply stunning, in no small way attributable to the wooden box which has protected it. The outside of the box bears a silver presentation shield showing its giving as a 21st birthday present in 1880 - one edge of the case is engraved with a corresponding sentiment. The inside bears an intriguing label regarding the heritage of the oak from which the box was made. A truly terrific card case.

The massive keep of Kenilworth Castle was built during the1120's. The castle was further fortified by King John between 1210 and 1215, which enabled the occupants to hold out for an epic siege against the army of Henry III in 1266. The greatest period of fame for the castle came during the reign of Elizabeth I when one of her favourites - Robert Dudley, turned the castle in to a great Renaissance "prodigy house". The celebrated Scottish novelist Walter Scott wrote a novel about the decaying castle in 1821 entitled "Kenilworth" ensuring the popularity of Kenilworth Castle for tourists during the 19th century. The Scottish link for this card case is maintained with tartan style engine-turned decoration to the base. 

Windsor Castle was the principal residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Today, it continues to be one of the official homes’ of Queen Elizabeth II and is the largest inhabited castle in the world. The majority of English monarchs have lived in the castle at some stage and dating back to William the Conqueror (King between 1066 and 1087), is the oldest castle in continuous occupation in the world. The scene shown is the South Wing and is the most famous view of the castle. The flag flying in the centre of the scene indicates that the monarch is in residence.