DESCRIPTION

- A beautiful vintage red tooled leather jewelry box from Cartier lined with ivory-coloured satin and black-coloured velvet. It has decorative gilding and a push-button closure. This jewelry box (estimated circa the 1950s to the 1960s) once showcased a pair of cufflinks from the renowned French jeweller. 

MARKS

On the interior, in gold lettering:

“CARTIER

LONDON 175 NEW-BOND S^t

PARIS 13 RUE DE LA PAIX

NEW YORK 712 5^th AVENUE”

Some relevant dates:

- 1847: Foundation of Cartier; registration of the first maker’s mark

- 1899: Cartier moves from Boulevard des Italians to 13 Rue de la Paix

- 1902: Cartier showroom opens in London at 4 New Burlington Street; coronation of King Edward VII

- 1904: King Edward VII grants Cartier a royal warrant

- 1909: Cartier branch opens in New York (712 Fifth Avenue); Cartier London moves to 175 - 176 New Bond Street

- 1916: Pierre exchanges a pearl necklace for 653 Fifth Avenue; Cartier moves in the following year 

- 1953: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II; Cartier London opens Albemarle Street Boutique; Claude Cartier opens a store in Venezuela

MEASUREMENTS

- Length: Approx. 80.3 mm at the widest point

- Width: Approx. 54.8 mm at the widest point

- Height: Approx. 37.6 mm

CONDITION 

- Overall, the jewelry box is in excellent vintage condition and still enjoyable for many more years to come. It bears signs of wear commensurate with age and use. Surfaces have marks and scratches that one would expect in a piece of this age. These ‘imperfections’ add character to the piece rather than take away from it

- There is light wear/loss to the leather, including a few scuffs/marks

- The interior is clean and does not have any unpleasant scent

- The hinge, push button, and catch are all intact. The jewelry box opens and closes well

- All of the above are shown in the photos provided

- There is no visible evidence of a previous repair or restoration 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

- Antique handcrafted jewelry boxes are highly desirable and sought after. They are becoming more scarce, which means they are very likely to increase in value. They can vary in price with some ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars 

- Much like antique/vintage jewelry, jewelry boxes also require some extra care to maintain their beauty and longevity. Some helpful tips:

   - Always handle boxes with clean and dry hands, as oil, dirt, and sweat can leave marks or damage the leather/silk/velvet, etc.

   - Avoid storing your boxes in direct sunlight as it can cause materials (such as leather) to dry and crack, fade in colour, etc.

- All props, including jewelry and other jewelry boxes, are for styling purposes only. They are not included in the listing unless specifically stated otherwise

- The item's condition is subjective. Please take your time to look through the photos, as they further inform the condition and form part of the extended description

- Please refer to the listed dimensions for an accurate sense of the item’s size, as zoomed images can disproportionately represent the size of an item

- All images are taken in natural light and are not edited. However, actual colours may vary slightly from your monitor. This is due to computer monitors displaying colours differently and everyone can see these colours differently

BIDDING/PAYMENT