It is not perfect, but coming forward from early to mid 1700s, it is in remarkable condition, truly. The most elaborate inlays in that tortoise shell lid, silver, mother of pearl and 18k gold all combine to a magnificent figural display, 1 macaroon in silver, and one of what would have been 2 profiles in mother of pearl. A fine old sterling box, one tiny hallmark on front which I have not found. Seems Prussian, Ottoman Empire, rather than French, though I purchased the box in France. The box is 3 1/8" x 2 3/8" oval, and 3/4" tall when closed.
Very good for age and type, you can see it has a lift or two from the pique work in the tortoise shell lid, but no breaks to the old tortoise shell either in lid or bottom. The framework is silver, a single tiny hallmark. The hinge is perfect and the box closes very smoothly, displays beautifully, but as you can see, a 1" section of the perimeter silver border of lid has gone missing over the centuries. Likewise, a slight separation at solder to back right, about at the 11-1 o'clock position along the seam at back. I have not identified the mark, shown for your research. Hard to make out, perhaps an Austrian or Prussian mark. If you know it, please do email and we'll add. Thanks. There are no other marks.
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.
