This delicate miniature 'carnet de bal' or dance card is crafted from three-coloured 18k gold with silver details. The lid is engraved on both sides and reads 'Souvenir d'Amitie' (a remembrance of friendship), telling us that it was likely originally gifted to a loved one.
When opened, the inside contains a tiny working pencil and a notepad. A dance card was used by ladies to record the names of men with whom they intended to dance at a formal ball, and it's lovely to imagine that the two people involved in this little jewel must have met at one of these balls!
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 22 x 15 x 3 mm, excluding the jump ring.
Weight: 3.10 grams.
Age: 18th Century, also known as the Georgian era, circa 1780s.
Material: Acid tested as 18k gold and silver: the bale has a hallmark that I was not able to identify.
Condition: In great antique condition with some minor wear, consistent with age.
Please note that the antique box and the necklace in the last picture are for display purposes.