A small brass token with a particularly original design depicting a stylized sphinx in a central medallion, surrounded by the inscription "A CONSUMER" (To Consume). This type of token was used in cafés, brasseries, and other popular establishments to represent prepaid or deferred consumption. The Orientalist motif, very fashionable at the end of the 19th century following the Egyptian campaigns and the craze for Egyptomania, makes it a more sought-after model than classic tokens. Its scalloped shape enhances its decorative character and its typical status as counterware produced during the Belle Époque.
✦ Origin: France ✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900 ✦ Dimensions: 1.5 cm ✦ Material: Brass ✦ Condition: Antique patina with localized oxidation, clearly legible relief, signs of wear consistent with age and use
A unique testimony to the cafes of the time and the orientalist influence in everyday objects, ideal for enriching a collection of tokens or counter curiosities.
