I have collected these rare and interesting mid-1700s cases for decades, and this is the only one I've ever found that still has its original leather and silk outer case or presentation box. These small lovely boxes were created for toothpicks, often made of 18k gold. I have found a couple of those, too, but this case did not have any inside. The outer case is excellent, definitely tucked away for centuries, and the ivory box within still shows the form and appeal, some like this one were made as mourning or tokens 'souvenir' of loved ones, living or dead. The aperture is framed in and box trimmed in 18k gold, and the original thick glass (or perhaps rock crystal) cover glass is without loss or damage. Typical of ivory as it ages, there are a couple of shrinkage hairlines, which show another very interesting aspect of the type - a 150 year old staple repair.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, this is nearing 300 years of age, from the Louis XV and XVI eras of French aristocracy. Some call these patch boxes, but the patch boxes are more often square and slightly rectangular, not elongated as these are for toothpick. The interior of the ivory case retains a gold foil but not the mirror that would have been inside. A rare vanity item, museum quality.
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.
