Tortoise Bling! The Wearing of Live, Bejewelled Tortoises in Paris in 1898

The BNA is a cornucopia of weird and wonderful stories.

Truly, the Archive leaves us open-mouthed with its never-ending supply of stories – it really is like having your own online Scheherazade.

The latest story that made us shake our heads in wonder and amazement is this report about the craze for ‘tortoise bling’ in Paris, during the finals years of the 19th Century.

Our ‘O’ Level French is a wee bit weak and outdated, but we think this is what is known as a sign of ‘le mal du siecle’, rather than ‘le fin de siecle’.

Edinburgh Evening News – Saturday 22 January 1898

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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/18980122/119/0004