Craft and Design gallery
Silver and shagreen (sharkskin), 1750-60
Made to look like a miniature chest of drawers when shut, but only the bottom drawer is real. A necessaire is a miniature dressing-case. The tools include scent bottles, cosmetic spoons, mirror, scissors, thimble, ruler and penknife. It is covered in shark skin (or shagreen). It is called a necessaire because it hold all the necessary items for personal grooming.
Given by Joseph Mayer, 1867.