Wallet With Combination Lock Invented By l'Abbé Boissier - Paris, Circa 1785

Attributed to Leprince de Beaufond, rue des Deux Écus, supplier to the royal family

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A seminal invention in the history of portable security

Rare pocket wallet with mechanical combination lock, illustrating one of the earliest known applications of a coded locking system integrated into a personal object.

The invention belongs to Abbé Boissier, prior at the Célestins de Sens, whose device was awarded a prize by the Société d'émulation de Paris in 1778. From 1780, the manufacture of the locks was entrusted to Leprince de Beaufond, a Parisian craftsman established on rue des Deux Écus and supplier to the royal family.

In the context of the final years of Louis XVI's reign, these objects testify to a growing interest in the protection of personal effects and sensitive documents, among an elite concerned with confidentiality.

A comparable example, attributed to Queen Marie-Antoinette, is documented in the national archives with its order slip.

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Description

Dimensions:

Closed wallet: 16 × 11 cm

Circular padlock: 4.5 cm diameter

Materials:

Russian garnet leather on rigid core, structured flap.

Interior:

Two gusseted compartments in green silk, hand-sewn, showing an even patina of use.

Mounting:

Solid silver circular padenas with three registers, entirely hand-worked by engraving and chasing.

Decor:

Fine-executed fleur-de-lys motifs, emblem of the French monarchy.

Mechanism:

Combination system via three concentric discs with Indo-Arabic numerals, requiring precise alignment for opening.

Integration:

Closing device fully integrated into the wallet's structure.

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Historical significance

This portfolio lies at the convergence of several major fields:

- History of techniques: prefiguration of modern mechanical combination systems

- History of French luxury : high-end Parisian production under the Ancien Régime

- Political and social history: object linked to the aristocratic sphere and privacy practices

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Rarity

Eighteenth-century combination-lock wallets are extremely rare.

Examples retaining their original mechanism, silver mount and leather are exceptionally few.

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Provenance

Former private collection.

Documentation prepared with the assistance of Mr. Olivier Cauquil.