Victorian Mother-of-Pearl and Abalone Card Case

• Mother-Of-Pearl - Mother-of-pearl, technical name "nacre", is the inner layer of a sea shell. The iridescent colours and strength of this material were widely used in the nineteenth century as an inlay in jewellery, furniture, (especially papier mache furniture) and musical instruments.
  
  In the early 1900s it was used to make pearl buttons. Mother-of-pearl is a soft material that is easily cut or engraved.
  
  Nowadays it is a by-product of the oyster, freshwater pearl mussel and abalone industries.
• Ivory - Ivory is a hard white material that comes from the tusks of elephants, mammoth, walrus and boar, or from the teeth of hippopotamus and whales. The ivory from the African elephant is the most prized source of ivory. Although the mammoth is extinct, tusks are still being unearthed in Russia and offered for sale.
  
  Ivory has been used since the earliest times as a material for sculpture of small items, both in Europe and the east, principally China and Japan.
  
  In Asia ivory has been carved for netsuke, seals, okimono, card cases, fan supports, animals and other figures and even as carved tusks.
  
  In the last 200 years in Europe ivory has been used to carve figures, for elaborate tankards, snuff boxes, cane handles, embroidery and sewing accessories, in jewellery and as inlay on furniture. Its more practical uses include being used for billiard balls, buttons, and a veneers on the top of piano keys.
  
  The use and trade of elephant ivory have become controversial because they have contributed to Due to the decline in elephant populations because of the trade in ivory, the Asian elephant was placed on Appendix One of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in 1975, and in January 1990, the African elephant was similarly listed. Under Appendix One, international trade in Asian or African elephant ivory between member countries is forbidden. Unlike trade in elephant tusks, trade in mammoth tusks is legal.
  
  Since the invention of plastics, there have been many attempts to create an artificial ivory
• Chevron Motif - In jewellery, a chevron is a V-shaped pattern or design that is often used to create a bold and striking visual effect, and as a symbol of strength, power and protection.. It is a classic motif used in many different styles of jewellery and can be seen in various forms such as on a ring, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. It can be created with precious or semi-precious stones, pearls, or enamel. It can be found in different forms such as engraved or inlaid or beaded.
  
  In ceramics the pattern is often used in decorative pottery and porcelain pieces, such as vases, bowls, plates and figurines. The chevron pattern can be created by using different colored glazes or by hand-painting the design onto the piece. It is also commonly found in the form of embossing or intaglio in decorative ceramic objects. This pattern can be seen as a popular design choice in Art Deco and Art Nouveau style of ceramics.
  
  This chevron pattern can also be found in many different types of furniture, such as tables, chairs, chests of drawers, and cabinets. A common place to find chevron pattern is in a herringbone pattern, which is made up of repeating V-shaped patterns. The chevron pattern can be created by using different types of wood, inlaying or by using different colors of stain. It is also commonly found in the form of a veneer. This pattern can be seen as a popular design choice in mid-century modern, Art Deco, and contemporary style furniture.
• Victorian Period - The Victorian period of furniture and decorative arts design covers the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. There was not one dominant style of furniture in the Victorian period. Designers used and modified many historical styles such as Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, English Rococo, Neoclassical and others, although use of some styles, such as English Rococo and Gothic tended to dominate the furniture manufacture of the period.
  
  The Victorian period was preceded by the Regency and William IV periods, and followed by the Edwardian period, named for Edward VII (1841 ? 1910) who was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India for the brief period from 1901 until his death in 1910.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• card cases, English and French
  • ivory 56
  • mother of pearl 100