A tortoiseshell calling card case from the mid-nineteenth century.

This small hard case with silver hinges was fashioned from the shell of a sea tortoise, a material popular in the Victorian era for its decorative coloring and durable qualities. The case is adorned with a silver monogram of entwined letters M and B. It was likely used by a woman to hold or display calling cards exchanged by friends and acquaintances when they visited one another’s homes. The case contains an ivory insert for penciled notes and elastic straps to secure loose cards.