Antique French Guilloche Sterling Necessaire Travel Case

Magnificent Napoleon III French Necessaire, or travelers vanity chest. The interior has several lift-out trays that are fitted for the many accessories for vanity, sewing and correspondence. The inside features 11 crystal vanity boxes and perfume bottles with sterling silver lids of guilloche metalwork with a center engraved cartouche. Each jar has the French Minerva 950 mark and includes: Two sterling screw top cologne bottles with original stoppers, five sterling lidded pop top vanity jars and three sterling topped vanity boxes. There are 10 ivory pieces including an ivory handled glove hook, shoe button hook, perfume bottle corkscrew, tweezers, toothpick, and a very beautiful large ivory shoe horn. Also included is a cased, unused (very rare) full size tortoise shell comb and five assorted ebony brushes. Brushes are all made of ebony colored horn, with natural bristles made from horse hair, unused and also cased. 

Writing implements include a traveling inkwell and a pencil. Lift out Moire silk writing pad that also opens into a paper folder, and green leather portfolio. 

Sewing implements include a leather needle/what not case with several needles and pins, three scissors and a thimble.

Travelers case itself is of fine leather workmanship. It is of dark green grained leather, with heavily embossed decor, with fine green moire and velvet lining to the interior.  Initials J.B on the leather handle of the box. Inside plate is engraved Piault fils aine a Paris meaning Piault first born son of Paris.

All 38 pieces are original to this case and each have their own individually fitted compartment. Condition: excellent condition, dent on rectangular box, still exceptional. The rectangular box has a dent across the lid, minor. No chipping of glass. The traveling inkwell has minor denting to the sterling. Condition of these boxes is considered exceptional for pieces this age. Wear to the green case to be considered negligible for something this age.

Note: It is extremely rare to find a complete antique travelers necessaire. Especially one that is in this condition and so impeccably suited for carrying everything a person of nobility would need while traveling.