Paris gold mark on each 18k gold cap, and both stoppers in place in this very rare complete 18th century traveler's scent caddy, necessaire. I've owned one elongated shagreen perfume vial etui, but the scent flasks were long gone. That is over a period of very active shopping, buying, museum searching - memorizing everything I see. I have, to date in my long life, never seen another of these complete with the shagreen case, and it's in superb condition for it's very advanced age and fragile nature. First off, most shagreen etui have not fared as well, and have some losses, tears, missing green leather. Shagreen (galuchat) is superfine scaled leather from the belly of stingray. There is a darker and larger marine leather people refer to as 'shagreen' which is usually black rather than green, and large round scales - shark skin, which is a bit more sturdy than is the elegant stingray belly leather. Small precious items in this fitted type of shagreen cases or 'etui' were much sought after in Louis XVI and Georgian Era in particular (c.1750-80) and continued to be made to the very earliest 1800s. This set has a very early French gold mark impressed into each 18k gold cap top, truly impossible to capture clearly. The length of this one is just shy of 6" and it is 1 1/4" widest and 5/8" deepest.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. As noted, I've never even seen another one similar that is complete. The shagreen double-sided hinged etui is excellent, has no loss or damage and hinges and silver-buttoned clasps are all working perfectly. The unique double scent/salts flacon (flask) is also entirely bespoke, each one created as a one-off, and is all one piece of mouth-blown glass or perhaps crystal. Facet cuts, slender neck - no chips anywhere and no hairlines or cracks. The tiny stoppers are slightly stuck in the flasks and I'm not going to try to force them. Rick might spend some time loosening them with his magic method, but it is as you see it - complete, undamaged, stoppers stuck with some old scent residue. The 2 18k gold caps are original and also without damage. A rare museum piece, this. You will not see another one - probably ever, on market. My own collections being disbursed. Don't miss this one, perfume collectors!