Victorian Shell Inlaid Card Case
click the photo to enlarge
A Victorian lady's shell inlaid card case, late 19th century, of hinged form and with a diamond pattern inlay of Mother-of-pearl and abalone shell, with a petite button release catch to the side and lined with original red fabric. Length 9 cm. Width 5.5 cm.
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
- 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. - 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
- mother of pearl 103
- other materials 64
Visually similar items
A Victorian Mother-of-Pearl and Abalone Visiting card case, 19th century, a rectangular hinge top case diagonally set with mother-of-pearl tiles bordered by a chevron arrangement of abalone tiles, with a press button opening mechanism revealing the ivory t
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
19th century lacquered snuff box with portrait to top
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.