Antique French Chocolatier's or Confectioner's Presentation Box, Casket, Souvenir of Chocolate

These are rather rare, really. In 3 decades of searching for them, we've had perhaps 20 and sold a couple to Boissier, probably the most renowned of the 19th century Paris chocolatiers, and others to another confectioner's museum in France. They are the special presentation boxes those businesses had made to fill with their pricey and delicious confections, bonbons, and were meant to be kept as a souvenir long after the chocolate confections were consumed. They're light in weight, balsam wood or card, covered in hand painted paper and ornately adorned with gems as you see on this one, a handle, and a working lock and key - one had to lock away the temptations from one's servants and small children. It was when chocolate and even sugar were new commodities, pricey enough to make them only for the wealthiest, and as a special gift. Very good condition for age and type. This particular old confectioner's box shows its age a bit - remember, they're paper-covered, and this one is around 170