The finest from my own collections of decades, this is my best antique French aide d' memoire, some would call it a carnet du bal. It's the little purse or pocket note pad and stylus pencil pen to jot down the names of suitors who've spoken for dances (carnet du bal) or to keep a calendar of upcoming visits, appointments circa 1840-50. The covers hinge and swing away and are rich mottled tortoise shell in serpentine edged glory, inlaid with 18k gold stringing and an un-monogrammed cartouche. The 5 internal flat 'pages' are in finest quality antique ivory, not a nip or chip to any of it. Photos show its fine form and condition. Measurements are noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, no chips, no hairlines, no bug bites, no cracks or losses. Even the original stylus remains. The cover trim is 18k gold, the stylus is gold-finished brass, or perhaps plated - I did not test it. NOTE: the colorful silk embroidered panels do not go with it, they make a colorful background for our photos and balance correct colors of these small precious items.
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.
