Beautiful snuffbox or small pillbox in white mother-of-pearl with its lid, also made of mother-of-pearl, encircled with chased silver-plated metal adorned with small flowers and a small clasp that allows it to be opened. It is a true jewel!
Mother-of-pearl is a natural and organic material. It is the iridescent coating synthesized by certain shells throughout their lives. This coating lines the inside of the shell, forming the smooth, iridescent lining of mollusk shells, such as oysters or mussels for example.
It is therefore a mineral produced by a living organism, a bio-mineral. The shell uses specialized cells to produce mother-of-pearl molecules, which it deposits on the shell and sometimes on the pearl when the conditions for a pearl's birth are met. These cells are found in the animal's "mantle" which passes several times a day to add "bricks (aragonite) and cement (conchiolin)" (source: specialiste-de-la-nacre.com).
It is therefore the same material that is used to make the shell and the pearl.
The word "nacre" comes from the Arabic "naqqarah". In English, it is called by the name given to it by the first Queen Elizabeth who lived in the 15th century: mother of pearl. Mother-of-pearl has been used by humans for a very long time, as tools and jewelry made of it have been found in Mesopotamia. Shells have served as currency of exchange all over the world; they have also been used as containers: some are so large that they constitute baptismal fonts in churches. The Mayans made dental implants from mother-of-pearl. Early Christians associated it with the Virgin Mary because of its purity, and the scallop shell became the emblem of the Compostela pilgrims (source: www.vuillermoz.fr).
Its beauty is such that mother-of-pearl was already a decorative element in Antiquity. It was inlaid in lacquer objects and wooden furniture in Japan and China. Used purely, it also served to make buttons. Many Chinese engravings were made of mother-of-pearl. This complex process brought great delicacy to scenes of oriental life, landscapes, and objects of all kinds. The work of mother-of-pearl in the Far East still respects traditions today to provide very high-quality decorations. Western countries also began using mother-of-pearl from the Middle Ages. It was then used to manufacture luxury goods. In the 14th century, it was widely used to make small religious sculptures, then from the 16th century, it was commonly found in oriental furniture as decorative inlay. Italy used mother-of-pearl in the 18th century for haberdashery and jewelry. Finally, it became noticeable in the 19th century for decorating boxes and furniture (source: www.pingtipong.com/bijoux/nacre-et-histoire-de-l-art).
Mother-of-pearl has been used to make accordion buttons, jewelry, to give pearly reflections to cosmetic products... Cabinetmakers used it to marquetry furniture, like the famous Boulle who also used tortoiseshell and metal veneers.
Here it is a small snuffbox: tobacco was snuffed before it was smoked. The snuffbox was often given as a gift or worn as jewelry.
It is a very refined small object that can be used as is, as a pillbox or to elegantly furnish a display case or a cabinet of curiosities.
It is in excellent condition.
Dimensions: length 8.5 cm, width 4 cm, stopper 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm, weight 22 g.
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