A fine sterling silver and wood box. This is a very unusual and quality silver box, complete with fitted cedar wood lining. This was done so in order to help keep the tobacco fresh of the cigars and cigarettes that this lovely box was intended to store.
The entire box is handmade from a a mhoghony wood. The shape is a classic soft edge rectangular one, but it is fairly deep allowing it to be practical for storing things. The front of the lid has a small latch which is keeps the box closed. One will immediatly notice the front of the box has a rather intimidating gentlman on the front. He has the appearace of an early sherrif, or law enforcement agent. His pistol is drawn, and the words "Hands Up" are stamped into the silver by his feet.
This was a custom made piece by American silversmuth; Gorham. It was in fact made by their; Manufacturing Special Department. It was part of a sterling desk set for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, the set consists of; sterling silver topped cigar humidor (featured here), a cigar ashtray, a note pad holder and letter opener. The items are decorated with the Pinkerton 'Hands Up' character and an airplane, dirigible, railroad locomotive and a battle ship.
Established around 1850 by Scottish-born American cooper Allan Pinkerton and Chicago attorney Edward Rucker, Pinkerton began as the North-Western Police Agency before evolving into the renowned Pinkerton National Detective Agency. At the height of its power from the 1870s to the 1890s, this pioneering private law enforcement organization became the largest of its kind worldwide.
Pinkerton first rose to fame in 1861 when he claimed to have foiled the Baltimore Plot to assassinate President-elect Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln subsequently hired Pinkerton agents to conduct espionage against the Confederacy and serve as his personal security during the Civil War, cementing the agency's status as a precursor to the U.S. Secret Service.
However, Pinkerton's legacy remains a complex one. In the decades following the Civil War, the agency was frequently hired by businesses to infiltrate unions, provide strikebreaking security, and intimidate workers during labor disputes. This role in suppressing organized labor has drawn widespread criticism, exemplified by the violent Homestead Strike of 1892 where Pinkerton agents clashed with steelworkers.
Throughout the 20th century, Pinkerton rebranded itself as a risk management and security firm, eventually becoming a division of the Swedish company Securitas AB. While the agency continues to operate today, its historical involvement in labor conflicts has left a lasting, and at times controversial, imprint on its reputation.
This box dates circa 1920. It features the Gorham Sterling Silver marks as well as special order department marks. Overall the box is presented in excellent condition, free from any major damage, having an excellent hinge, with the lid closing snugly to the base. There is some signs of staining on the inside cedar wood lining. The original divider is present inside which has three ways to divide the box, or it can be removed completely allowing the whole width of the box to be used.
These pieces are exceptionally rare. The box being the most rare due to the fact it was mainly wood. Most of them have been damaged or destroyed over the years. This is a very special piece of American history. It is also presented with a fantastic letter sent form Gorham on asking of the provenance of the box. It also features and avert for the Pinkerton agency.
