Likely originally a tool housed in a fine and expansive 'necessaire', perhaps a purchase by a dignitary in Paris for the Grand celebration and fireworks celebrating The Treaty of Ryswick which was signed on September 20, 1697 ending the War of the League of Augsburg which pitted France against England, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. The fireworks celebration depicted here took place in January of 1698. But I digress. It's amazing to me that a seemingly very fragile little work of art and function remains fully intact (a few bug bites for its 328 years, sure, but even with the tiny pique in silver to mark the centimeters and millimeters (fully open it is 100 cm). I've always loved drafting and drawing tools - was it a mariner? Did it navigate the ships that brought spices and silk and goods from the far east? Or a King from far off for the historic celebration? Truly a museum piece! Isn't it fabulous!
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. As noted, the crown mark is French and used for silver in 1698. Tiniest silver pique mark the distance, and there are no breaks, it is complete and functional but does have some bug bites which can be seen in our photos. RARE museum piece!
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.
