A petite work of carver's artistry that is museum quality, this is a very early 1800s item easily identifiable as from the Dieppe, France seaport carvers. Among the very finest carvers in history, the Dieppe pieces area always highly sought after. This one has survived almost to perfection, these 200 plus years. The age shows in the fabrics, but it has the little stylus still, and is complete as you see it. Delicate beauty, the work of seamen on long voyages or retired same. A special bit, this!
Very good to excellent for age and type, the fabric shows age, but the important part is the carving. Very slight warp to the back panel, you can see, but it closes and the stylus even remains with it. RARE! Measurements are noted on the photos.
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. We do hold a valid USFWS license, as well, for import/export, but additional time is required for export, and we are not exporting at this time.
