Circa. 1965! 9ct Yellow Gold Opening Wagon Charm

The charm depicts an early-style wagon or commercial vehicle, instantly recognisable by its long chassis, prominent front end, large wheels and distinctive tall load section at the rear. The design appears to take its inspiration from the pioneering commercial motor vehicles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, giving it a wonderfully nostalgic appearance.

Despite measuring only approximately 22mm in length and 13.4mm in height, there is an extraordinary amount of detail to discover. The wheels have individually modelled spokes, while the body incorporates a tiny driver's area, bonnet, lamps and raised detailing. Even the underside and interior have been considered, making this a miniature sculpture.

Its surface has been heavily textured to give the impression of a covered or loaded wagon, divided into individual panels with wonderfully irregular detailing. Rather than simply being decorative, this entire section is hinged and lifts open, revealing a hollow compartment within. It is exactly this type of hidden movement that makes vintage mechanical charms so much fun to collect. From the outside it is a beautifully modelled little gold wagon; open it up and there is an unexpected additional element to discover.

The charm weighs an impressive 6.1 grams and is an excellent weight for a piece measuring just 22mm long which gives the charm a lovely substantial quality in the hand.

The marks appear to include the 9ct Gold fineness mark together with a lower-case ‘k’ date letter. The style of this letter appears consistent with London 1965; however, as we cannot identify a clear London leopard's head assay mark, we have chosen to date the charm conservatively to circa 1965 rather than definitively attributing it to the London Assay Office.