19th C Antique French Embossed Gilt Leather...

Updated September 26, 2026

Lot number136
Estimate75.00 - 150.00 USD
CategoryAntiques & Furniture
AuctionSale 260929
DateSeptember 29, 2026 at 10:00 PM EDT
Auction housePeriod Americana
LocationBoston, Massachusetts

Souvenir Carnet de Bal Dance Card Case. Dating to the 19th century (c. 1860s–1880s), this exquisite French Grand Tour era carnet de bal (dance card case or notebook) measures approximately 4.0 inches high by 2.5 inches wide and is bound in fine brown leather adorned with ornate gold-tooled leaf scrollwork and "Souvenir" embossed on the front tab. Popular as high-society keepsake gifts, the interior features expanding fan-folded compartments holding original blank calling cards, a handwritten ink sentiment card, and a fitted wooden stylus pencil with a metal ferrule. This unsigned European import represents a rare piece for ephemera, paper antique, and vanity collectors, presenting in good, complete antique condition with a securely closing flap tab and intact interior expansion slots, displaying age-appropriate wear such as light surface scuffing, edge rubbing, and minor corner softening alongside bright remaining gold foil highlights.

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