Snuff box, Sheffield, 1750-1760
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1750-1760
The snuff box derives from the tobacco box, which appeared during the mid-17th century (a silver example is first mentioned in 1643). This box, made of Sheffield plate, is an example of the popularisation of the Rococo style in the mid-18th century.
Die stamping, developed particularly for the Sheffield plate industry. meant that complicated patterns could be accurately and repetitively reproduced, quickly and cheaply, after the initial costs of the dies were recovered. Bars of blister steel, mixed with fluxes, were fused in closed clay crucibles under intense heat within a coke-fired furnace.
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
- Dimensions
- Height 1.9 cm; Diameter 5.7 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Sheffield plate (copper plated with silver), embossed and chased, the back stamped with a design
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- Sheffield
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O78621
- Museum object number
- M.632-1936
- 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.