There is a certain blurry line between old pen wipes and needle books, but I'm sure this is the former, especially due to the smooth black fabric inside, of which there are only two "pages"--with the black of course matching the color of the ink this would for the most part be wiping! It's the embossed brass butterfly on the face that sold me, all done by hand like a pin prick drawing, and then riveted the suede cover along the top of the back. Certainly this could be used as a needle/pin keep now, though perhaps at least someone out there is still committed to writing with an ink pen and will put it to its intended use! A lovely thing to keep on or in one's desk in any case, which also feels like a nod to Nabokov.
4 1/2" w x 2 1/2". Good condition, earlyish 20th c. I believe, with an ink stain to the suede on the flip side.
