Snuffbox (O 811)

Snuffbox (O 811) is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Germany). Description supplied by the holding institution: The snuffbox appears to have been a love gift, on which an appropriate motto was applied for its recipient. On the side one can read: "In meinem Herzen hat niemand Platz als Gott allein und Du mein Schatz" [No one has room in my heart but God alone and you, my darling]; this pledge of fidelity, together with the depiction of two hearts on the lid, was probably intended to leave no doubt. The underside of the box bears the depiction of a butcher scene, beneath it the inscription: "Ich gib das Fleisch nach dein Begehren, vom hinteren Viertel den Brust (kern)" [I give the meat according to your desire, from the hind quarter the brisket]. Perhaps the recipient of the box worked in this trade. A snuffbox or tabatière, derived from the French term "tabatière", is a small, handy container for storing snuff tobacco. A heyday of these boxes was in the 18th century. During this period, taking snuff was a widespread passion indulged in by almost everyone. It was by no means limited to gentlemen; the world of ladies also took snuff eagerly. Snuffboxes were in… The collection record gives measurements height: 2.7 cm (box); height: 1.4 cm, width: 7.55 cm, depth: 5.4 cm (upper section); height: 1.3 cm, width: 7.65 cm, depth: 5.4 cm (lower section). Published through Europeana; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.