Antique Napoleon III Burl Wood Playing Card Box
Antique Napoleon III Burl Wood Playing Card Box
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Card boxes like this sat out on the table during play, holding the deck upright and ready to hand. This one is worked in thuya burl, a wood French cabinetmakers favored for its dense speckled figure, with pale fruitwood set into it in scrolling foliage and two small birds facing a diamond cartouche. It comes apart into two sliding halves.
The case is in good antique condition with honest wear consistent with age and use. The marquetry on both faces is intact, with no missing inlay, and the line stringing is complete around the panels.
The wood is noticeably dry in the hand, and the old finish has crazed finely across the whole body. There is a stable split running along one top edge, with minor lifting beside it and a small loss at the corner, visible in the detail photographs. Taken together, the dryness, the crazing, and the split read as a piece that sat somewhere damp at some point in its life and then dried out. That movement appears to have settled. The split is stable, it does not run through to the interior, and it does not affect how the two halves slide or sit together.
Because the wood is dry, it will respond to a large swing in humidity. Keep it out of direct sun, away from a heat vent or radiator, and out of a very dry room with no moisture in the air. An occasional light wax will help.
The burl surface also shows light scuffing and edge wear from handling. The two sliding halves separate and rejoin smoothly. The interior is plain unlined wood with no fittings or marks.
Please review all photographs closely, as they form part of this description.
Shipping & Returns
All antique and vintage items are shipped from our warehouse in Bluffdale, Utah. Each piece is carefully packed by hand using archival materials and custom crating when necessary.
Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the size and weight of the item. Local pickup is available at the AMD Warehouse.
Furniture is the exception. Because of size and weight, furniture shipping is quoted separately rather than calculated at checkout. Send a DM on Instagram or email austynmariedesign@gmail.com for a quote, or arrange your own shipping from the warehouse.
All sales of antique and vintage items are final due to their unique, one-of-a-kind nature. Illuminé candles and The Collector's Guide may be returned within 14 days of delivery if unopened and in original condition.
If your piece arrives damaged, please photograph the damage immediately (including packaging), contact us within 48 hours at austynmariedesign@gmail.com, and do not discard any packaging.
Important Info About Antique & Vintage
Every antique and vintage item we carry has lived a life before arriving in your home. These are not factory-made products. They are objects with history, character, and the marks of time.
Age-appropriate wear, patina, minor imperfections, and signs of previous use or repair are inherent to antique and vintage items and are not considered defects. These characteristics are part of what makes each piece unique and are often what give it its beauty and value.
We describe the condition of each piece as accurately as possible in the listing. If you have specific questions about a piece before purchasing, please reach out. We are always happy to provide additional photos or details.
Colors may appear slightly different on screen due to monitor settings and photography lighting. We do our best to represent each item accurately.
Descriptions, dates, attributions, materials, and measurements are provided in good faith and reflect our best assessment based on research, physical examination, and the information available to us. Antique and vintage pieces often carry incomplete or unverifiable histories. Where a detail is an assessment rather than a confirmed fact, it is identified as such. Measurements are approximate. All items are sold as-is, with the photographs and condition report governing.
