Our offering exceeds the age limitation of 'more than 100 years of age', and is well within the exemption for CITES regulation. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer we donate to anti-poaching organizations we don't hunt we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. The form is carved to give an impression of bamboo, which would have been part of Empress Eugenie's favorite Empire Revival decorative accents, Japonaise, Chinoiserie. Very light surface abrasion here or there which don't show at all to the naked eye, but I can see a tiny few in our greatly enlarged photos. There are no chips, no hairlines, no cracks, no losses and no warping to this superb folding lorgnette spectacles set. The French have been known from way back for secure mounting of diamonds in silver (see the Marie-Antoinette necklace story). The diamonds have also been tested, affirmative. The gold has been acid tested at 18k, the French standard. I would say they have a magnification of only 1-2, so you know these were more a luxurious accessory to be seen rather than a necessity. I've been tempted to change my name, though my maiden name begins with a P, so it worked.

Spectacular top to bottom, and it's an impressive 10.5' long and 1.5' wide where that large monogram mounts. With an elaborate 18k gold M and A backing it, in Marie-Antoinette lettering, rests a larger sterling silver P set with a constellation of diamonds. Some glorious luxury, this set! My favorite antique (c.1850-70, Napoleon III or mid-Victorian era) opera lorgnette, to be worn on a chain or ribbon (loop at bottom of the long bamboo-motif carved handle), and whomever had this opulent monogram created for it must have been so proud to lift it at Opera Garnier to browse the evening's program.

Antique lorgnette opera glasses