Antique French Cigarette Holder – Mother-of-Pearl (Nacre) with Gold Band – Belle Époque Era, Original Fitted Case An elegant antique cigarette holder ("fume-cigarette") crafted in genuine mother-of-pearl (nacre), in two sections that unscrew via an internal threaded metal fitting for easy cleaning — the shaft holds a slender metal screw-thread insert that connects to the mouthpiece bit. The shaft is carved from lustrous white nacre, while the bit is a contrasting grey/champagne-toned nacre, the two joined by a fine gold band. Presented in its original fitted leather case, the lid stamped in gilt lettering "FABRICATION PERFECTIONNÉE — B★F — OR CONTRÔLÉ" (a maker/retailer mark with a Maltese-cross motif; "or contrôlé" is period French terminology meaning "gold verified/tested," used by jewelers of the era to reassure buyers of the gold content of a mount). Materials: Genuine mother-of-pearl (nacre), gold band with an internal brass/metal screw-fit connector joining the two halves. A faint partial stamp is visible on the gold band under magnification, though it is too worn/incomplete to read or attribute with certainty — worth photographing closely for the listing and noting as "partial maker's mark, not fully legible." Age: Late 19th to early 20th century (Napoleon III to Belle Époque period, circa 1880s–1910s), based on the case typography and styling, and the "or contrôlé" phrasing typical of that era. Dimensions & weight: Length: 9.5 cm / 3.7 in Diameter: approx. 1 cm Weight: 12 g Condition: Excellent overall, with lustrous, crack-free nacre. Please note: a tiny tear/split in the gold band at the join, visible only under close magnification (not visible to the naked eye) — A faint, partially legible stamp is present on the band.