Tobacco box, 1700-1750
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1700-1750
This type of small box was used for carrying smoking tobacco. Tobacco boxes usually had an unattached fitted cover, whereas snuff boxes had a hinged lid. This may have been because snuff takers needed to keep one hand free to take snuff, whereas pipe smokers could rest the box and cover on a table and use both hands to fill their pipes.
This example was made between 1700 and 1750. During this period tobacco boxes were usually oval, about 75-100 mm long and 25 mm deep. After about 1750 they were made in various shapes and sizes. Oval, with moulded edges
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: 2.73 cm; Length: 8.28 cm; Width: 10.37 cm; Weight: 170.5 g; Weight: 71.6 troy
- Materials and techniques
- Silver, engraved
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- England
Design
- Marks and inscriptions
- Engraved with the arms of Foley impaling Tempest.; 'R. Foley DD'
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O103604
- Museum object number
- M.708:1, 2-1926
- 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.