Antique Calling Card Case, Necessaire, Tortoise Shell, Ivory & French Sterling Silver, Victorian Tortoiseshell

The opulent beauty of French sterling silver against the mottled dark chocolate to cognac coloration of the old shell is just stunning, and never more so than in this card case and 'necessaire' combo etui. Actually the Victorian era forerunner to today's iPhone or Blackberry, the case would have housed calling cards, and has an ivory wafer fitted with its own stylus for note-taking, contacts and itinerary at a glance. Sure, we've come a long way, Baby, but in their time, these were a vital item for anyone of the leisure and titled class. A nice large-sized one, you'll be able to use this for your own modern business cards, or a credit card and bit of cash if you wish to use it as an 'after hours' or evening bag of sorts. These are perfect conversation starters at those often boring business after-hours events, the meet- and-greet type which can sometimes pose daunting socially, and yet are so important both for anchoring clients and customers, and for making an impression. Or perhaps you just want it to add to your collection or tabletop display. Remarkably unscathed by time, this one is top of the line in all ways.

Very good to excellent condition for age and type, without any losses, no lifts to the inlaid silver, and no damage to the hinge or clasp, both of which are working very well. Not a flaw to note on that ivory wafer, either, which still is in its hinged fitting and retains the original ivory handled stylus, as well. Very slight natural imperfections in the steam- formed and thick shell perhaps, though I'm not seeing anything to point out. No splits, no hairlines or cracks, no chips and not even a tiny bug bite. This one is superb! Nice larger size, it holds today's business cards with room left over.

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.