Early Dutch Silver Peppermint Box

This is a rare novelty Dutch silver peppermint box. These charming examples appear to be peculiarly Dutch in origin and date from the 17th Century through to the early 20th Century. Personal hygiene was not a matter of great concern in former times, but anticipating breath fresheners and mouthwash, peppermint boxes appear to have had enduring popularity. Created to be carried with you, these lovely little silver boxes would have been for peppermints or comfits. This most unusual and early example is in the form of a fruit basket. The tapering body has reeded and geometric engraving and the hinged lid features mounded fruit. There is a barley-twist swing handle and the basket is marked to the body and the lid. A rare and collectable item of early European silver.