Snuff box — Snuff box with a man in armour, France, ca. 1750
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1750
Snuff box in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number A.80-1937), made in France, dated ca. 1750. The museum's brief description reads: Snuff box, ivory, with a bust of a man in armour, probably France (probably Dieppe), ca.
1750. Museum description: This bulbous circular snuff-box, with metal hinges, is decorated with foliate designs. On the lid is the depiction of a bust of a man in armour on a socle surrounded by trophies and cannon against a shell background. The carving is poor. The museum records it as Carved ivory, measuring Height 3.5 cm; Diameter 6 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
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.
Historical context
This hinged bulbous circular snuff-box is decorated with foliate designs. On the lid is the depiction of a bust of a man in armour on a socle surrounded by trophies and cannon against a shell background. Because so much ivory was carved in Dieppe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this may be French, although it is difficult to state this with any certainty. Ivory combs, together with mirror cases, boxes and gravoirs for parting the hair, formed an essential part of the trousse de toilette or étui (dressing case) of the typical wealthy lady or gentleman in the period. The two leading cities for ivory carving were Paris and Dieppe. Luxury items, such as combs were often made in Paris, especially during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. During the seventeenth century Dieppe became increasingly significant for small-scale sculpture in ivory, perhaps because it was a port.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Ivory
- Dimensions
- Height 3.5 cm; Diameter 6 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Carved ivory
- Place recorded
- France
Identification
- Museum object name
- Snuff box
- Museum object number
- A.80-1937
- Museum system number
- O192827
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, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.