REIGN OF H.M. EMPEROR KHAI DINH (1916-1925). Exceptional small match case in 24 K gold with finely chased decoration of an elephant. Stylized two-character mark 啟定 "Khải Định" at top. Height: 3.2 cm. Length: 5 cm. Weight: 26.9 g. (Slight dent). Most likely made for the use of H.M. Emperor Khải Định himself, this highly refined case is one of the very few gold objects testifying to the splendor of the Nguyen Court. Various sources testify to the sovereign's daily habits and taste for pageantry: this case, with its remarkable quality of chasing and made from the purest gold, suggests that it was made by the finest silversmiths, with the two incised characters personally attributing the object to the Emperor. The representation of the elephant could refer to the royal elephants that once guarded the entrance to the Imperial Palace. The animal, depicted on the temple terrace of the stele on the first level of the mausoleum of Khải Định in Hué, is also sacred to the Vietnamese and embodies the values of strength and intelligence. In Laos and Thailand, the white elephant is also considered a symbol of the royal family.