Closing out a lifetime of lovely little French antiques, this one is 18th century to early 19th century and is made of ivory, accented by pique of cut steel noting it is a visiting or calling card case in its era. Imperfect but charming, it recalls an era's habits long long ago. It might have once had a silk notepad with accordion-fold pocket into which calling cards would have fit, perhaps a little intaglio printed annual calendar, but it came to me with just retainers of a pressed 4-leaf clover which remains. Measurements noted on photos.
Very good condition for age and type, but not quite perfect. Both front and back halves of the little case are without crack or damage, but there ought to be a center fitting on bottom like those on top, which close evenly with the other 2 to form a tube into which a stylus or pencil slips and forms a closure, clasp. That one part is missing. All of the delicate and sized pique of silver or steel is in place, translates to 'visits' which tells us it held visiting cards. Just sweet for display.
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.
