Petit bonbon or patch or snuff box, 2" diameter, a bombe cover glass over an arrangement of seed pearls and gold wire, worked on a panel of glass. Set as the lid on this lathe-turned carved ivory box, it's just a little jewel, really. A monogram L worked in such minuscule pears, it's quite amazing. Definitely 18th century, I've had so few as special and early as this.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, it's quite amazing it is so complete. I will mention 2 flaws of age: the gold wires used have, some, come loose from the glass to which they were once adhered. There is a hairline shrinkage crack on one spot in the side of the lid (see images). No chips, no cracks.
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.
