Sketch designs (3 on one sheet) for étuis which are small cases for carrying personal articles such as needles or knives. The designs are inscribed 'Etuy a De[illegible inscription] et a Eguille' which means an étui for [illegible inscription] and needles. One of the designs is inscibed 'Couteaux' which means knives because the étui was destined to contain such implements. At this period, it was not unusual for people to carry their own table knives with them. The designs were drawn by an anonymous designer in about 1770 possibly for an elite client from the Court of Louis XV, King of France, from 1715 to 1774, at Versailles, Paris. The designs are from an album of designs which date from about 1735-1820 and includes those for snuffboxes, scent holders, watches and watch cases, spoons, fans and fan mounts, small swords, and chatelaines (ornamental chains, pins, or clasps usually worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys, purses, or other articles are attached). The binding is red morocco and the boards are stamped in gilt with the arms, now partly erased, of a member of the Bourbon family, probably Louis-Henri, Prince of Condé (1692-1740).

There is a close relationship between the contents of the album and known work by three Parisian goldsmiths, Jean Ducrollay (1710-1787), Pierre- François Drais (active 1761-1788), and Charles Ouizille (1744-1830) whose names appear on the first page of the album. This suggests that all the designs emanate from their workshops. Drais worked for the Court at Versailles as jeweller to both King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Ouizille worked in this capacity for Louis XVI. Most of the material dates from the period 1755-90.