The large fine c.1850s back-painted glass souvenir view is 1 3/4" x 1 1/4" oval, convex glass, backed with mother of pearl so the windows shimmer with light and color at the right angles of view. Set into a lovely carved chocolate color tortoise shell front panel of this very well-preserved coin purse, the backside with a gold cartouche which still awaits a monogram. The purse shows a view of Hôtel de Ville, Paris just from the exit of the bridge over the Seinne. This is the City Building in Paris, the original construction dating to c.1535 in the François I era. One of Paris' well-loved buildings even today.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, I haven't shown in my photos the fact that the leather baffles on each side are in very good condition, expand to increase the depth of this little purse to 1"+ without any splits. The interior is as fine and original as is the exterior of this excellent little beauty. Measurements are noted on our photos, and it is 3 1/8" x 2 1/4" and expands from 5/8" flat to about 1 1/4" expanded in full. There are 4 sections in the interior, one with a latch to hold coins.
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.
