Featured tortoiseshell cigar case- French antique？

I am desperate for antique tortoiseshell and found this on Chinese eBay. I researched about similar cases and found they were popular in 19th century French , but none of them square. Is this a proper European antique?

 

Yes there’s some writing but I can’t read apart from 1889, if it’s indeed French for origin then probably an address of a French maker?

 

The first word is Helgoland, which is the name of an island off the north German coast.
After that 'v. deiner', German for 'from your'.

 

Just found there is a place called Helgoland in Germany? Which matches the first word

 

It is an island off the German coast, in the Wadden Sea.

 

Lol I found it too. So it’s safe to say this is indeed antique? Do Germans make similar case for cigarette?

 

I think the writing is a gift inscription, not any indication of the manufacturer.

 

Yes.

Every country around here made them.
The fact that it was sold on Helgoland doesn't necessarily mean it was made in Germany. On the other hand, if there are no assay marks, it is likely to be German. Nearly every other country that made these used proper assay marks. The rather austere style could also indicate Germany.

 

Oh I thought compact was used for make up stuff. The seller listed it as cigar case, but I have no idea with neither of them! Or maybe a purse?

 

Probably yes, which makes it’s story more colorful!

 

As far as I can tell the entire dedication reads:

"1889 Helgoland v. (von) deiner Marius" (from your Marius)

 

Thank you! As long as it’s a proper antique I will be happy gosh I want antique tortoiseshell boxes & cases so bad!falling for reproductions twice, I am now more cautious with them.

 

It looks like a cigarette case to me.

 

Heligoland is a small archipelago in the North Sea. The islands were historically possessions of Denmark, then became possessions of the United Kingdom from 1807 to 1890.

if that's a cigarette case....and you open it..... half of them fall out...!

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this one says celluloid .....

then there's this......

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https://www.proantic.com/en/703391-cigarette-case-in-mother-of-pearl-and-silver-xixth.html#

I can't say the
op's is shell , without having it in hand.....
but I will say it's an antique......

imho

 

It's the size and shape of an old ciggie or maybe cigarello case. Helgoland had its own stamps, once upon a time.

My guess would be the lady's whatsits were only placed on the right hand side, and the fabric on the left closed over them to protect them. Oddly, I have a tortoise cigarette case here. It can't be sold or shipped under USA law, although I could give it away locally.

 

The two you posted have miniature cards on the front which may be a clue that this is a calling card case.

Tortoiseshell fluoresces under UV, if the seller has one on hand to use for a photo...

 

Yup...

 

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the fabric on the interior would hide the marks, the gold wash , the engine turned design...... on a wide variety of metal cases...

I'm not sure I've ever seen a fabric lined cigarette case....