A true museum piece, this! Dating between the 1770s to perhaps as late as 1800, it has survived in remarkably fine condition throughout. A tiny portrait miniature, her face only 3/8" from chin to hairline, the souvenir d'amitie (remembrance of friendship/love) has also an intriguing little eglomise painting on the reverse side (back-painted glass). That one is a young woman with a baby, approaching a young man. Don't you wish you knew all the secret meanings of this little treasure. Perfect sterling silver mounts, a tiny unreadable old French mark on the inner lip which also is 'vermeil' or 18k gold layer on the sterling silver. I've photographed it, added it for your review. The fabulous condition of the old shagreen outer case is truly amazing and pristine. Shagreen (galuchat) is the leather made from the finest belly skin of the stingray. Popular in the mid to late 1700s, a very rich association to the items made of shagreen. Measurements noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition throughout, save the very slender stylus or lead which would have been inserted into the tiny hole provided alongside the perfect 2-leaf ivory note pad. As you can see, it really has no flaws to note. Even the interior is just superb. Some would say this is an elaborate carnet du bal, or cased note upon which a woman would note those gentlemen who had spoken for her evening's dances at some grand ball. Rare, and just superb, this one.
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.
