19th Century Porcelain Hand Painted Needle Case

Hand painted needle case with 3 landscape scenes surrounded by gilded cartouches. On the rear, a fanciful painted golden flower. Needles were a precious commodity during these times, and were kept in special cases to prevent their loss. Each needle had to be made by hand and therefore represented a great deal of work. This case is approximately 4 1/2 inches long, oval in shaped interior, and tapered. There are no chips, or cracks, or losses. There is no stop on the hinge, usually a protrusion that would prevent the top from opening too far. These were added to later models of cases like these. Truly an unusual find!