2-839-773 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Dance card case and ivory cards, late 18th century. 'Carnets de bal' or dance cards were used at formal balls by ladies to record the names of the gentlemen with whom they intended to dance. The first successful flights in hot air balloons in the 1780s triggered a craze for 'ballooniana'. Exterior of wood case is painted with ballooning scenes. One side shows a man and woman looking up at a balloon in the sky. Case originally had a hinged lid. Edges of base and lid of case are lined in silver where they meet. Only two cards are currently present, but originally there were more and they were hinged like a fan. One of the cards has 'kiss me darling' handwritten in pencil on the surface.