Antique French Pietra Dura Sterling Cigar Case

Pique(pronounced pee-kay) is a method of decorating tortoiseshell with fine inlay of gold or silver. In this case both gold and silver have been used. Since tortoise shell is a natural thermoplastic, a fine rod of precious metal can be heated and then pressed into the shell. The rod is cut off at the surface and as the shell cools, it rehardens and grips the insert tightly. This process is repeated to form a delicate pattern. Later pieces were machine done and were formed more in sheets that individual pieces. These later mass produced piece bring far less in terms of monetary value.

Pietra dura is a technique that was used in Florence around the sixteenth century. Workmen began by cutting the geometric and figurative spaces into polished onyx. Pre-fit and cut pieces of semi-precious stones were then placed exactly into the spaces. This allowed for intensely detailed, expensive and complex designs to be created on the contrasting polished onyx surfaces.