Serpentine Stone Box

A striking stone box made from green Serpentine with cream, grey and black patches running through the stone. A brass hinge joins the top and bottom sections. Originally used as a cigarette box, circa 1930.

Dimensions: 15 cm/5⅞ inches (width) x 10 cm/4⅛ inches (depth) x 4.5 cm/1¾ inches (height).

Serpentine is a striking, vibrantly coloured rock, ranging in colour from green to deep red, brown and grey. Because it polishes to a high sheen, it is often referred to as "marble". The stone gained massive national popularity in the UK during the second half of the 19th century, after the Great Exhibition of 1851, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert praised several pieces and souvenirs made of it.