English silver-mounted tortoiseshell tobacco box
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 17th - early 18th century
This antique English tobacco or snuff trinket box is crafted from tortoiseshell and features an oval shape. The lid of the box is embellished with an intricately chased and carved silver plaque that serves as a decorative focal point.
The design of the silver mounting depicts a detailed scene featuring a medieval horseman, surrounded by elaborate scrolling foliage and ornate metalwork. The piece is constructed with careful attention to decorative detail, reflecting the aesthetic sensibilities of the period. The dimensions of the box are approximately 3.25 inches in length, 1.75 inches in width, and 1 inch in height. Underneath the lid, there are incised numbers present, which may serve as identification or workshop marks.
This object represents a fine example of luxury small-format storage accessories often used by gentlemen in the late 17th to early 18th centuries for keeping tobacco or snuff.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- tortoiseshell, silver
- Dimensions
- 3.25 inches L x 1.75 W x 1 H
Technical characteristics
- Markings
- incised numbers under lid
Design
- Lid motif
- medieval horseman with intricate chased and carved silver scrolling foliage
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.