Georgian Faux Tortoiseshell & Silver Mounted Hinged Cigar Case C. 1830

Details

Description

This finely constructed cigar case is executed in a richly mottled tortoiseshell veneer, carefully framed and edged with ivory colored … Read more This finely constructed cigar case is executed in a richly mottled tortoiseshell veneer, carefully framed and edged with ivory colored mounts and inlaid panels. The exterior presents a restrained yet highly architectural geometry, with rectilinear faces articulated by narrow ivory borders and a hinged lid secured by a discreet sterling silver latch. The proportions are tall and slender, reflecting early nineteenth-century Continental preferences for elegant, pocket-scale luxury objects intended for personal use.

The interior is fitted with a compartmentalized structure appropriate for the storage of cigars, previous lining that would have protected both contents and finish. The use of ivory for the internal framing and hinge surrounds underscores the object’s status as a refined gentleman’s accessory rather than a utilitarian container. Subtle hand-finished details, including the pinned hinges and hand-cut veneer joins, indicate artisanal manufacture rather than later industrial production.

Cigar cases of this type were fashionable among the European elite during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, particularly in France, Italy, and the German states, where tortoiseshell and its imitations were favored for small personal objects such as étuis, card cases, and cigar holders. The combination of tortoiseshell patterning with ivory inlay aligns this example with Continental luxury craft traditions influenced by Neoclassical taste and the lingering refinement of the late Enlightenment period.

Measurements
2.25 in. w x 5 in. h x 1.25 in. d See less