It is a small notebook with an attached pencil, used at balls to record the names of dance partners for each dance. Elegant late 19th–early 20th century dance card made of silver-plated brass with a built-in spring cover and a miniature mechanical pencil. The cover depicts a woman, a cannon, and two children with the Latin phrase “Si pacem, para bellum” (“If you want peace, prepare for war”). Used by ladies at balls to record their dance partners, it reflects the refined etiquette and artistry of the Belle Époque era.
