Sterling Silver Calling Card, Money top Compact Purse with Chain, Minaudière, Antique

Antique Sterling Silver Calling Card OR Money Compact Purse, aka ***Minaudiere (see below), featuring two interior leather pockets. The leather pockets are expandable. There is a link chain for holding with your hand or around your wrist. The front is intricately etched with a monogram; however, we feel that the elegant script lends itself more to a beautiful fourish design than a monogram. Actually, we were unable to make top out exactly what the letters were.

This exquisite silver compact is marked "Sterling." See photo #5.

It measures approximately 4 inches long x 3 inches wide. The Drop Chain measures approximately 5 1/4 inches long.

This type of small purse would have been carried to a dance or a formal dinner and was considered not only essential for the lady's small vanity items but a piece of "jewelry" as well.

It will come in a lovely protective case.

In very nice condition with 2 or 3 very small indentations on the back. Although it appears to have been polished, there are still a few light cloudy spots that still remain. We always leave it to our customers' preference as to whether or not to polish further. Ready to give as a gift or to carry to a wedding, formal dinner or perhaps a concert, theatrical production, and more. What fabulous stories this minaudiere must have to tell of dancing under the stars and maybe even swaying on a flapper's arm as she danced the Charleston!

***MINAUDIERE: A minaudière is a women's fashion accessory, generally considered a jewelry piece that is intended to substitute for an evening bag. It allows storage for small items such as pocket money, a tissue, etc. They were generally metal-plated but this one is sterling silver. It is sized small enough to be held within the hand. A minaudière is a dainty accessory. According to fashion journalist Lloyd Boston, a minaudière constitutes an essential part of a lady's evening wardrobe, a small object with no limit to its usefulness, and a "fabulous character".

If you have any questions, please convo us...we always respond promptly and love to hear from you.

The majority of the items in our shop are vintage, e.g., have been used. Vintage and antique items by their very nature have some wear, imperfections and signs of age and time. This is what gives them their character, charm and collectibility. Please examine our photos carefully for any flaws that we may have missed in our description. Our item photos are considered part of our description.

Thanks so much for stopping by our vintage store and we hope to see you again.