Snuff box, carved wood with brass piqué work, English, 19th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1800-1900
This carved wood snuff box in the shape of a miniature pair of bellows has a sliding lid to secure the powder. Fine piqué work (short lengths of metal wire fixed in small holes drilled into the wood) forms the inscription 'My Only Love', so this was probably given as a love token.
The small size and weight of the container indicate that it was designed as a portable box for personal use, rather than to be passed around a dinner table. Snuff, or powdered tobacco, was widely popular throughout Europe from the 17th century. Thousands of small portable boxes to contain the powder were made as personal accessories, often in novel designs, to be given as gifts.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- 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
- Dimensions
- Length 11.5 cm; Width 5 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Mahogany (probably), brass piqué work
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- England
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O159208
- Museum object number
- T.1584&A-1913
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.