Queen's College Cork "Castle Top" Card Case

An extremely rare castle top card case in superb crisp condition. The high relief scene to the front is encompassed by superb floral scrolls with the pattern being repeated on the obverse around an engraved cartouche.

Queen’s College was founded in Cork in 1845. It is now known as University College Cork (UCC). The scene depicted shows the north wing of the Main Quadrangle. The famous architects, Thomas Deane & Benjamin Woodward, designed the Tudor Gothic style Main Quadrangle with the south side of the square being enclosed by a wall instead of buildings. The north wing houses a unique collection of Ogham Stones, thought to be burial stones or boundary markers.

The enigmatic engraved inscription to the reverse side of the case reads "To MADAME LANCIA from a number of her admirers amongst the students of the Queen's College Cork".