Lacquered Papier Mâché Antique Pen and Pencil Case Circa 1870s Germany
My research tells me that this is a lacquered papier-mâché pencil and pen holder from the 1870s. It is marked germany on the back and then it appears to have a marking on it that looks like a ts. It has sections inside to put the pens, pencils and accessories.
It has a raised design on the top, it is in great shape with some surface wear commensurate with age- the hinges work well and hold the top up. It's a very nice box for the writer in your life. I will always consider reasonable offers. The wear and condition is commensurate with age unless noted otherwise in description.
If no size is indicated a 20 length will be sent. Please do your own research before purchasing the item.
If you know something i don't about an item i have listed, please message me with the information you have- as i want my listings to be as accurate as possible. Antiques/ antique jewelry is an investment and preservation of history. Every year that passes, there are less and less pieces to be preserved. Antique jewelry in any condition is important and should be preserved when at all possible.Tell the story- preserve history. Prices- i base my prices on a few things. Antiques are by nature in limited supply. So rarity plays a major role in prices as does the condition.
Almost like a diamond- values are based on how nice it is and how rare. Antique jewelry is no different. The higher end pieces will command higher prices- as they should. Please remember to insure them, as some may go over your home owners policy allotment for jewelry. In general plated items will be less expensive, rolled gold and filled gold items will be more expensive with solid gold and solid silver being the most expensive. Paste and glass stones will be less expensive than semi precious stones, but precious stones will be most expensive. However, rarity may take precedence over materials used. I take all of this into consideration.Metal testing- if i indicate the purity of a metal because i tested it- i usually only test one part. Testing in metal involves scraping it onto a testing stone. If i test the necklace, i will generally just test the main part & clasp and if the rest looks similar, i assume the entire piece is the same as the clasp.
There is always a chance that there are some components that have been replaced, that will not be the same as the piece i tested. I take this into consideration in my prices. Condition- i moderately clean and polish my jewelry, so there is no underlying issues that are covered up by tarnish and grime.
I do this to make the items a bit sanitary and to reveal some of the metal, but leave enough patina on them to not ruin their historic look. These items are coming from a home with dogs and cats. I do not guarantee the jewelry, other than that it arrives to you in the condition stated in the listing. My merchandise is old- i have not always had owned it, so i do not know it's complete history. Its possible that not all components are original.Therefore, if an item is marked sterling/gold- i can only guarantee that the bulk of that item is what it is marked. There could've been repairs, connecting rings, jump rings, extension chains, clasps, etc that were replaced, and are not sterling/ gold.
Please always be aware of your antique jewelry and address concerns you see to best protect your investment. I search out any imperfections such as fractures, loose stones, bent metal and open jump rings. I repair and replace components if possible, if there is an issue i can't or don't fix- i will highlight that in the listing. My goal is to provide a wearable piece of history and will note if something is too fragile to stand up to normal wear.
Please note that any item that has stones glued into their setting- can come loose at any time. This is adhesive that is sometimes going on 100 years old. Especially pieces that have lots of tiny stones, is not uncommon for them to pop out. This is the nature of old jewelry and is unavoidable. I do my best to point out any flaws, as i want no surprises for you.The photos are part of the description, so please zoom and inspect carefully. I attempt to include photos taken outside, as well as photos under a strong light inside. Antique jewelry boxes, figurines, props, coins and other jewelry shown in photos are never part of the sale- only the jewelry described in the listing.
Thank you for considering an investment from my menagerie. Thank you and god bless. This item is made of papier mache and lacquer.