Stunning English Regency Sterling Silver & Tortoiseshell Card Case, Circa 1815

Details

Description

Stunning English Regency Sterling Silver & Tortoiseshell Card Case, circa 1815

This exceptional English Regency card case, dating to the … Read more Stunning English Regency Sterling Silver & Tortoiseshell Card Case, circa 1815

This exceptional English Regency card case, dating to the early 19th century (circa 1810–1825), exemplifies the refinement of personal accessories in the Georgian and Regency periods. Crafted in richly mottled tortoiseshell, the case is inset with finely engraved sterling silver mounts, worked in bright-cut and diapered patterns. The silver decoration centers on a diamond-shaped cartouche, flanked by crossed strapwork and enclosing a heraldic reserve shield—originally intended for the owner’s initials or crest, left here unengraved. The borders are edged in a repeating lozenge motif, echoing the decorative vocabulary of contemporary silver snuff boxes, bookbindings, and étuis.

The case opens to reveal a slim compartment designed to accommodate visiting or calling cards, which were indispensable tools of Regency social etiquette. The construction demonstrates consummate craftsmanship: the tortoiseshell panels are carefully veneered over a substrate, while the engraved silver mounts have been precisely inlaid, flush with the surface, to avoid damaging the organic shell. The discreet hinge and fine proportions further underscore the elegance of the design.

Measuring 3.75 inches high by 2.75 inches wide by 0.33 inches deep (interior card compartment 2.5 inches wide), this piece represents the height of Regency taste in personal accessories, balancing luxury materials with a refined architectural aesthetic. Surviving examples of this quality are rare, particularly with intact silver mounts and working hinge. See less