An amazingly detailed heavily silver plated box dating from the 1800s or earlier in Europe. It was purchased as an 18th century silver box, but scrubbing and testing reveals a copper base. The top of the box has a scene of 17th century European  women of leisure, possibly Dutch, engaged in evening recreation. Some women are playing cards, one is gazing out the window onto a town scene, and another is preparing to play a musical instrument. 

The work is repousse and of exquisite detail down to the lines in a book. The periphery of the canted lid has swags of flowers and a cherub head at each corner with a pair of flanking griffins. The sides of the box are also covered with repousse decoration, an echoing of the top- cherubs or putti, griffins, swags of flowers and a background of leaf designs.

The bottom of the box is plain except for the incised hallmarks which I have failed to unravel. The interior is gilded- so, gold over silver over copper.

It measures 6 1/4" (15.9 cm) long by 5" (12.7 cm) wide by 1 7/8" (4.8 cm) deep. It weighs 17 ounces. There is very minimum wear of the silver plating. One of the women card players has some wear on her face- the product of over a century of handling. On the inside, there is a tiny separation of the side from the bottom at one corner.