A little vanity compact, folding mirror with hinge, slender and elegant. French made, it slides open to reveal a vanity mirror and a flat and empty side which might once have held pomade or lipstick solids. These date mid-1800s, so Victorian or Napoleon III era. The pique work is incredible, such tiny inlaid dots, plus a lovely monogrammed cartouche - all in 18k gold. There's a band of 18k along one edge, as well (see images).
Very good condition for age and type, dark chocolate colored tortoise shell is smooth and fabulous in hand. Meant to be tucked into a purse pocket, it would have been like pulling a fine jewel out of one's bag. There are some pique dots missing, as you can see, and some disruption to the silvering on the old mirror. I'm unsure what might have originally filled that empty side, but it seems like one could certainly put in a photo and perhaps it once held one - a carte de visite cut to oval. This is the last of my collection of these from a lifelong obsession with such beautiful old things. Time to disburse.
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.
