Georgian Tortoiseshell Folding Card Case With Silver Piqué Borders C. 1830

Details

Description

This refined small-scale folding card case is constructed in the traditional two-leaf format, opening on a central pinned hinge to … Read more This refined small-scale folding card case is constructed in the traditional two-leaf format, opening on a central pinned hinge to reveal a silk-lined interior compartment. The exterior is veneered in genuine tortoiseshell, exhibiting deep amber and umber mottling characteristic of the 18th / 19th century material. The edges are framed by narrow silver pique borders, applied flush to the surface, a decorative restraint associated with English and Continental luxury smallwares of the Georgian and Regency periods.

The fastening mechanism consists of a silver button catch set into the side wall, paired with a discreet receiving aperture, a configuration commonly encountered on card cases and étuis intended for waistcoat or reticule use. The hinge construction, with visible iron pinning and bone or ivory-facing to the interior margins, further supports an early manufacture date. The interior retains its original red silk lining, now mellowed with age, which would have protected visiting cards or small papers from abrasion.

While unsigned, the workmanship, proportions, and restrained decoration suggest production within the English or Anglo-Continental sphere, possibly Birmingham or London, where tortoiseshell card cases were produced both independently and by workshops supplying luxury retailers. Comparable examples are recorded with makers such as Matthew Linwood, Thomas Shaw, and other specialist tortoiseshell workers active in the late Georgian period, though the absence of a maker’s stamp necessitates attribution to an unidentified maker.

Measurements
2.625 inches wide x 3.875 inches high See less