Gold-rimmed Message Or Love Note Case, Louis XV Period, 18th Century.

Magnificent message case in tortoiseshell rimmed with gold.

The case is oblong, the body is tortoiseshell on a wooden core.

Two wide 18k gold rings decorated with an interlacing frieze highlight the opening.
The rest of the case is decorated with a swirl of very tight gold threads, the ends are covered with a gold disc. This decoration is in 14k gold.

The gold rings bear two hallmarks:
. Helmeted head: discharge hallmark for Parisian goldworks between 1768 and 1774.
. A very small, difficult-to-read hallmark, probably a right ear, which is the hallmark of the guild for the "smallest works" of gold for the year 1771-1772.

Magnificent case, with this rare, very opaque gold decoration contrasting admirably with the brown tortoiseshell. The decorative effect is striking and extremely precious.

14.6 cm long
2.5 cm in diameter

53.23 grams

Very good condition. Minor signs of wear.

Hand-delivered in Paris or shipped by insured Colissimo.

France: €15

Europe: €20
Worldwide: €35