Antique Japanned Metal Cash Box c.1900 | Black & Gold Shopkeeper’s Money Tin

Antique Japanned Metal Cash Box / Shopkeeper’s Money Tin – c.1900–1930

A wonderfully timeworn antique metal cash box, full of honest surface wear, old shopkeeper character and early 20th-century charm. Finished in black japanned paintwork with gilt/orange line detailing, this sturdy little money tin has the look of something once kept beneath a counter, inside an office cupboard, or beside a market trader’s ledger.

The box has a rectangular metal body with a raised lid, brass-toned carry handle and front lock escutcheon. Inside, it opens to reveal a fitted arrangement with two side compartments and a central section, likely intended for coins, notes, receipts or small valuables. The internal fittings are particularly evocative, giving the piece a very practical, working-life quality.

The finish is heavily worn throughout, with paint loss, rubbing, scratches, scuffs, surface marks and areas of exposed metal. Rather than detracting from the piece, this gives it a beautifully aged, authentic appearance — the sort of patina that can only come from decades of use. The black and gilt colouring remains very decorative, with flashes of warm orange/gold detail around the lid and body.

There is no visible maker’s mark, and there is no working key. The lock has therefore not been tested and the box is offered as a decorative vintage storage piece rather than a secure locking cash box.

A lovely piece of social history, ideal for display in a vintage interior, shop setting, study, office, cabinet of curiosities or as atmospheric storage for paper ephemera, coins, keys, jewellery, small tools or keepsakes.

Approximate size:

25cm wide x 15cm deep x 10cm high when closed.

Date: Early 20th century, likely c.1900–1930.

Material: Metal with japanned painted finish and brass-toned fittings.

Condition: Heavily age-worn with paint loss, scratches, scuffs, marks, surface wear and signs of use throughout. No working key. No visible maker’s mark. Please study all photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

Why we love it:

This is exactly the kind of piece that tells its own story. It is not polished, perfect or over-restored — it has survived as a practical working object, with all the knocks and wear of its former life still visible. A beautifully characterful antique cash box with real decorative presence.