Napoleon III era French carnet de bal, aide de memoire, necessaire. Circa 1850-1870s. The front and back hard cover composed of black lacquer trimmed with a decorative gilt metal border, inlaid with gold and silver pique and floral elements. Centered by a blank silver cartouche. Opening to reveal an interior lined with red moiré silk and containing a little notebook used in formal and non-formal dances, to record dancing partners and memoirs etc, with printed illustrations of various dance poses and headings such as contredanses, valses and galops. Leather spine and side loops serving as a pencil slot. Measures 2 1/8" x 1 1/2" x 3/8" deep. The pencil measures 1 3/4" length. The mechanical pencil is .800 silver with gold vermeil finish, bearing the French hallmark of the head of the wild boar used on small objects to indicate a silver content of at least .800/1000 silver. In overall good antique condition with general wear commensurate with age and use, some writings inside the notebook, hastily scribbled names of potential dancing partners I assume. There is a thin crack in the black lacquer on the back as indicated by arrows. The pencil is in working order.