Late 1800s to earliest 1900s Hinged, the thick heavy magnifying glass folds into its self-case of tortoise shell with silver accents, trim, and has been kept in find condition also inside the antique alligator hide case which does go with it. I've owned this for decades, always thinking I'd travel with it but never did use it. Full measurements noted on photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, the outer protective case is excellent, a baffle-side overlap closure with working snap, there are no tears or holes. The tortoise shell sides of the self-case for the thick magnifying glass is also excellent, no chips or hairlines or cracks, no bug bites. It's a dark chocolate color, slightly convex. The actual magnifying glass is free of chips, useful as it is, but showing a single imperfection which is a light surface abrasion which seems to be from sliding the glass into the shell case. Light, a polisher will remove it quite easily, but I do not have access to that. An optician will be able to do it for you, I'm sure.
IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer; we donate to anti-poaching organizations; we don't hunt; we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world.
Our offering exceeds the age limitation of "more than 100 years of age", and is well within the exemption for CITES regulation. If imported, met the CITES regulation. This item will be handled and shipped from our Utah business, and is not available for shipment internationally, nor within the USA to California, NY, Nevada, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington if it contains ivory, sorry. Please see our small print for more details.