Vintage Damascene Cigarette Case with Egyptian Revival Design, K24 Gold Inlay Nefertiti and Pharaoh Procession, Art Deco Card Case

A 1920s–1930s damascene cigarette case marked K24, with an Egyptian Revival design worked in gold on blackened steel. One side carries a procession of pharaohs, attendants, and jackal-headed Anubis beneath a band of hieroglyphs; the other, a single profile of Nefertiti set alone in a field of black. A dense border of figures and symbols wraps the edges, and the gilt interior is stamped with a hexagonal flower pattern. It is a meeting of two traditions: Kyoto metalwork answering the Egyptian craze that followed the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Materials
Blackened steel with 24K gold damascene inlay, gilt metal interior

Details

• Era: 1920s–1930s
• Markings: K24 on the Nefertiti side
• Style / design notes: Rectangular case with rounded corners, decorated on both sides and around the borders; patterned gilt interior with two hinged retaining arms
• Function: Hinged case with push-button clasp; suits cigarettes or cards
• Color: Black, gold
• Condition: Good vintage condition, wear to the gold along the borders and edges, small losses at the top of the procession panel, a few oxidation spots on the Nefertiti profile, and spotting to the interior gilt
• Measurement: Approximately 4.2" by 3.2"

Collected by Mineral and Matter