Objects`de Vertu - Lighters - Vestas - Compacts - Enamels

Sampson & Mordan

Text from Wikipedia:

"Sampson Mordan (1790 – 9 April 1843) was a British silversmith and a co-inventor of the first patented mechanical pencil. During his youth, he was an apprentice of the inventor and locksmith Joseph Bramah, who patented the first elastic ink reservoir for a fountain pen.

In 1822, Mordan and his co-inventor John Isaac Hawkins filed the first patent in Great Britain for a metal pencil with an internal mechanism for propelling the graphite "lead" shaft forward during use, as an improvement on the less complex leadholders that merely clutched the pencil lead to hold it into a single position.Mordan bought out Hawkins and entered into a business partnership with Gabriel Riddle, an established stationer. From 1823 to 1837, they manufactured and sold silver mechanical pencils with the marking "SMGR". After the partnership with Riddle dissolved, Mordan continued to sell his silver pencils as "S. Mordan & Co.", adding many other types of silver and gold items to his product line. Mordan often made his pencils in whimsical "figural" shapes that resembled animals, Egyptian mummies, or other objects; like his other silverware and goldware, these pencils are now highly collectible.

Upon Mordan's death in 1843, his sons Sampson (junior) and Augustus inherited the firm. "S. Mordan & Co." continued to make silverware and brass postal scales until 1941, when their factory was destroyed by bombs during the London Blitz."

Sampson & Mordan made some of the finest match safes. The prices especially for the enamels are very high.


sampson & Mordan match safe vesta cases silver hand engraved streichholzdose streichholzetui zündholzdose silber

Collection of 6 match safes by Sampson & Mordan. These fine jewels are all very detailed hand engraved. Each piece is marked several times.






sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose
sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose

Beautifully fine engraving. Hallmarked on each silver piece 5 times. Quality!


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose enamel century box emailliert

Slider Match safe compared to the very desirable century box.


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose


sampson mordan hand engraved silver match safe vesta silber streichholzdose