These charming little coin purses of shell, made in France, were usually part of a set comprised of the coin purse, a necessaire (card case) and/or a prayer book, all with matching shell and style, design, and were gifts given at confirmation ceremonies, or 1st communion. The sets often came in beautiful fitted leather presentation cases, and we have a few of those listed in our shop if you search a bit. But most often, these survive as individual little treasures, having lost their companions through time, or perhaps just the old original fitted presentation cases. I have several to list, and will note only the differences in each:
Napoleon III era coin case in deep dark chocolate shell with the occasional touch of cognac appearing, steam-formed into the outer halves of a lovely coin purse, and inlaid with fine brass strapping that is a stylized French fleur de lys. We've shown interior and exterior of both halves/ sections which are in remarkably good condition, as you see them in our photos. Measurements appear on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, this one is very well preserved. It has the external appearance of one that was cherished but not used much, if at all. The lining is missing entirely in this one, making it perfect for a match safe if you'd like. No cracks, no chips. Lovely!
The vast majority of worked and antique object tortoise shell material comes from the shells of two species of sea turtles: the hawksbill (Eretmo-chelys imbricata) and, more rarely, the green turtle (see box A). The shells of these turtles exhibit attractive patterns that normally consist of light to dark brown patches, though a homogeneous “cream”-colored variety called blond tortoise shell also exists.
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.
