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Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes For Sale
20th Century French Import Solid Silver Cigarette Case
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Vintage 20th Century European solid silver cigarette case. The front features a flying bird amidst foliage, while the reverse displays a simple foliage pattern. The design highlights...
Category

20th Century French Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

Frederick Marson Antique Victorian English Sterling Silver Table Snuff Box
By Frederick Marson
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver table snuff box; an addition to our diverse silverware collection. This fine antique sterling silver table snuff box has a rectangular form with rounded corners. The surface of this Victorian snuff box...
Category

1870s English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

William & Mary Snuff Box Made in London, circa 1690
Located in London, GB
A Very Rare William & Mary Snuff Box Made in London circa 1690. Maker's Mark of Ah With a Crown Above and a Cinquefoil Below. The Snuff Box is of escutcheon form with plain sides an...
Category

17th Century English William and Mary Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

19th Century French Porcelain and Brass Trinket Box with Flower Decorations
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century French porcelain and brass trinket box with flower decorations.
Category

Mid-18th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Victorian Westminster Abbey Sterling Silver Vinaigrette
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver castle top vinaigrette depicting Westminster Abbey; an addition to our collectable box collection. This exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver vinaigrette has a rectangular shaped form. The upper plateau of the cover is ornamented with a rare scene depicting Westminster Abbey in relief, all on a matte background. The sides of the box and cover are encompassed with a continuous band of engraved leaf ornamentation. The underside of this English silver vinaigrette is ornamented with engine turned ornamentation accented with engraved scrolling leaf decoration, incorporating a central vacant cartouche. Both the base and cover are embellished with cast and applied leaf decorated borders to the rims. The hinged silver vinaigrette cover allows access to the original hallmarked hinged, pierced floral and leaf decorated silver gilt grille and original gilded interior. This exceptional box is the finest of its type you could hope to acquire. Westminster Abbey, otherwise known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a Gothic abbey church in London, England. This facility was built in 960AD and has been developed through history, making its grand stature an iconic location for British monarch coronations. Condition This antique sterling silver vinaigrette...
Category

1840s British Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

French Carved Snuff Box, Mid-19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The elaborately carved snuff box with a scene of two mermaids on the cover and deeply carved shell on the reverse.
Category

Mid-19th Century French Rococo Revival Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Boxwood

19th Century, 1897, Victorian Sterling Silver and Enamel Vesta Case
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver and enamel envelope style vesta case; an addition to our silver case collection This fine antique Victorian English s...
Category

1890s English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

18th Century Large South Staffordshire Table Snuff Box
Located in Basildon, GB
An 18th Century Large South Staffordshire Table Snuff Box, painted with figures and animals by classical ruins on a riverscape. 8.25" wide x 5.5" depth x 3.25" high
Category

18th Century English Rococo Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

1690s Dutch Silver Tobacco Box
By Jan Breda
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A magnificent, exceptional, fine and impressive, rare antique 17th century Dutch silver tobacco box; an addition to our smoking related silverware collection. This exceptional antique Dutch silver tobacco box has an oval rounded form. The underside of this impressive Dutch tobacco box is embellished with exceptional chased decorated scene depicting a lady draped across soft furnishings and accompanied by a bearded male, with putto* observing this act amidst a stately garden backdrop; this scene can be perceived to be connected to artistic works portraying Venus, Vulcan and Cupid. The sides of this exceptional box are encompassed with chased decorated grotesque mask and scrolling leaf decoration, accented with floral motifs, all on a matte background. This silver tobacco box retains the original hinged cover embellished with further chased decoration depicting a male and female character eating and...
Category

17th Century Dutch Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

Japanese Tokyo Shop Tabako-Bon
Located in Chicago, IL
This wooden box is a Japanese tabako-bon, or 'tobacco tray,' used to store tobacco and smoking accessories. Believed to have evolved from the traditional ...
Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Taisho Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Brass, Sheet Metal

Drum Shape Silver Gilt Bronze Box, 19th Century
Located in San Francisco, CA
An unusual antique gilded and silver gilt bronze box in the form of a drum. Beautiful quality, detail and having good solid weight. We cannot find any markings possibly English or...
Category

19th Century European Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Bronze

Antique Niello Enamel and Silver Shoe Vesta Case
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Russian silver vesta case in the form of a shoe; an addition to our diverse smoking related silverware collecti...
Category

1850s Russian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

French School 1790 Louis XVI Oval Snuff Box in 18kt Gold with Miniature Portrait
Located in Miami, FL
Presentation Snuff box from the 18th century French School. A very important and rare Neoclassical oval box, made in Paris, France circa 1790. It was crafted with translucent natu...
Category

1790s French Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Gold

Snuffbox Head of the Statue of Liberty in New York hand painted Sterling Silver
Located in Firenze, FI
Rounded rectangular snuffbox in 925/1000 sterling silver with fine hand-painted fire-enamelled miniature depicting the Head of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Dimensions cm. 5.5 x 7 x 1.8. Weight gr. 105. Designed by Giorgio Salimbeni in 1975 in Art Deco style and executed in numerous specimens, at the specific request of the firm Tiffany & Co., in Florence in the headquarters of the Salimbeni firm with completely manual execution by artisan artists with thick slab and large reinforcements suitable for sustaining numerous high-fire enamelled firings at approximately 750 < 800° C. Miniature is a very ancient technique which consists of painting works in small proportions. It was born for the decoration of the first letter of the paragraph of the books. Over the years, however, this technique is refined and enriched, then moving on to precious personal items. Hand-painted miniatures can be done with multiple different techniques. The most important that we use on our articles are of three kinds: 1) Fire enamel. 2) Water tempera on an ivory plate. 3) Painted on mother-of-pearl. Fire enameled miniatures: On a first layer of enamel generally white or very clear or even transparent suitably liquefied at a temperature of about 750° C, the chosen subject is painted using miniature colors which are as many colored crystals, ground and reduced to a very fine, almost impalpable powder washed and purified in distilled water with the addition of small quantities of deoxidizing acids which, diluted with essential oils (usually essential oil of solder), can be mixed to form a palette of colors. With very fine sable hair brushes you draw the subject starting from the perimeter and then gradually adding various layers of color. It is necessary to carry out various firings very often so that the colors harden and are not absorbed by the underlying glaze as, during the subsequent firings at 750 ° C, during liquefaction, it would spread irremediably. Hence the need to form the painting a little at a time, cooking it numerous times. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with numerous retouching, often overlapping different colors that only the painter's experience knows. A beautiful miniature needs from 20 to over 50 firings and is finished when the painter deems he does not have to further intervene. Some colors must have darker tones than others because then, by superimposing the transparent enamel placed at the end of the miniature, they fade. This transparent layer, called “fondant” in jargon, must be smoothed and polished like all other translucent enamel colors. The miniatures with water tempera colors are painted on real...
Category

1970s Italian Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Sterling Silver, Enamel

Carved Shoe Form Treen Snuff Box with Carved Shamrock, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
Probably Irish given the carved shamrock, with hinged top and robust leaf like carving. A small chip to bottom of toe and two small holes on the bottom likely from former mounting.
Category

19th Century Irish Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Wood

An Ormolu Mounted Mennecy Double Snuff Box in the Form of a Barrel, Circa 1740
Located in Spencertown, NY
The white ground floral decorated snuff box with openings at both ends, one opening revealing painted initials D.V. for Duc de Villroy.
Category

Mid-18th Century French Rococo Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Ormolu

English Porcelain Cottage Pastille Burner, circa 1820
Located in New York, NY
English Porcelain cottage pastille burner, circa 1820.
Category

1820s English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Edwardian 1905 German Enameled Cigarette Case Box in Solid .800 Silver
Located in Miami, FL
Enamelled German cigarette case. Great historical piece, created in Germany during the turn of the century, back in the 1905. This beautiful cigarette box has been carefully craft...
Category

Early 1900s German Edwardian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver, Enamel

Antique Edwardian 9k Yellow Gold and Rose Gold Vesta Case (1908)
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Edwardian English 9-karat yellow gold and rose gold vesta case; an addition to our boxes and cases collection. This exceptional antique...
Category

Early 1900s British Edwardian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Gold

Antique French Art Deco Silver Box
Located in New York, NY
French Art Deco 950 silver box, ca 1920. Round and flat. Concentric engine turned ornament with engraved flowers on top center and patera on bottom center. Gilt interior. Sweet and p...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

Onnaing Style Barbotine Tobacco Box Reading Pig, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Onnaing style barbotine tobacco box representing a sitting pig with a cane, wearing glasses and a blue hat, smoking and reading a French newspaper called "La Viene". Around it, three...
Category

19th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Faience

18th Century South Staffordshire Snuff Box
Located in Basildon, GB
An 18th Century South Staffordshire Snuff Box, painted with figures and a boat by a classical colonnade . 3.25" wide x 2.5" depth x 1.5" high
Category

18th Century English Rococo Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

Pressed Wood Snuff Box of Place Vendome, French, Early 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The circular box depicting Place Vendome with quote on bottom 'COLON DE LA PLACE VENDOME.' The interior with collectors label 'EVAN THOMAS COLLECTION 408.’
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Wood

Brunswick Round Snuff Box, Painted with a Banker
Located in Montreal, QC
These boxes were a specialty of Brunswick and are highly collectible, especially if an interesting subject or view. Here we see a banker bagging up his gold...
Category

Early 19th Century German Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Other

Piero Fornasetti, Set di due scatole da fumo
Located in Firenze, IT
Piero Fornasetti, Set di due scatole da fumo Scatole in metallo smaltato e legno disegnate da Piero Fornasetti Anni 50 Il set è composto da una scatola porta sigari e una scatola ...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Metal

Early 19th Century Georgian Burr Birch Pocket Snuff Box, England, circa 1820
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very handsome early 19th century Georgian pocket snuff box, the richly figured burr birch case inlaid with ebony stringing and an ebony shield-shaped cartouche, the functioning lid opening on wooden...
Category

Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Birch

Burlwood Box of Rectangular Form, 19th Century, Probably English
Located in Spencertown, NY
The serpentine front with upraised lip for opening. The interior covered in felt.
Category

19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Wood

A Very Fine Early 20th Century Enamelled Sterling Silver Cigarette Case
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
The front of the case exhibiting an exquisite hand painted panel depicting sprays of irises in shades of lavender, royal blue & green, set against a radiant white enamelled machined ...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Machine Age Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Sterling Silver, Enamel

Unusual Horn and Silver Puzzle Snuff Box, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The outer ring slides to allow the snuff box to be opened. Engraved Silver Monogram on top.
Category

19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Horn

Bucks County Pa Carved Snuff Box
Located in Charleston, SC
Bucks County Pa carved snuff box.
Category

19th Century American Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Wood

Bucks County Pa Carved Snuff Box
Bucks County Pa Carved Snuff Box
$1,280 Sale Price
20% Off
Mallard Duck Desk or Smoker Set in Paris Porcelain, 1960s
Located in Paris, France
A mallard duck desk or smoker set in Parisian porcelain, composed of an ashtray, a desk tray, a business card box and a tobacco jar dressed in cellar leather...
Category

Late 20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Leather, Porcelain

Early 20th Century Swedish Burled Birch Wood and Mahogany Tobacco Box
Located in Middleburg, VA
A little poem in wood, this early 20th-century Swedish tobacco box is a quiet testament to the beauty of everyday ritual. Hand-turned from golden-hued burled birch, its surface is al...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Arts and Crafts Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Metal, Brass

Egg Shaped Enamel Box
Located in Essex, MA
Depicting land battles and a seascape. Gilt metal fittings.
Category

1790s European Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Enamel

Art Deco Fox Porcelain Box by Édouard Marcel Sandoz for Theodore Haviland
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Art Deco painted porcelain box signed Edouard-Marcel Sandoz and manufactured by Theodore Haviland - Limoges. Stamps on the bottom. Origin France, circa 1920. Box with a cat or fox fi...
Category

1920s French Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Japanese Inro XIXth Century with 3 Lacquered Wood Boxes
Located in Marseille, FR
19th Century Japanese inro with 3 lacquered wooden compartments, 63 x 70 x 22 mm in size. Weight 39.1 g. Additional information: Material: Lacquered ...
Category

19th Century Japanese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Wood

19th Century Chinese Cloisonné Enamel Brass Trinket Box
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century Chinese cloisonné enamel brass trinket box.
Category

Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Metal

George III Gold Mounted Snuff Box for a Lady Made in London, circa 1790
Located in London, GB
A Fine George III Gold Mounted Snuff Box, Most Probably for a Lady. Made Almost Certainly in London circa 1790. The Snuff Box is of an unusual smaller size and was most probably for...
Category

18th Century English George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

A Set of 2 Treen Pomanders in Yew Wood
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Set of 2 Treen Pomanders in Yew Wood 2 small round early 19th century yew wood lady's pomanders, these unscrew in the centre with scent holes to both sides. one of these has what ...
Category

19th Century Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Yew

Twenty-Two Miniature Boxes Mounted with Silvered and Gilt Metal
Located in London, GB
This set of 22 boxes contains examples of different sizes and shapes that are produced using different materials and techniques. The boxes contain a variety of stone specimens, such ...
Category

Late 19th Century European Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Metal

Ceramic Covered Pot, Jean Mégard, Biot 1952
Located in St Ouen, FR
Extremely rare covered pot. Rich glazes with a juxtaposition of white and vivid colours forming an abstract overprinted decor. The inside of the cover features a generous dedication...
Category

1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

An Early 20th Century Brass Betel Box or Pandan, Probably Brunei Circa 1900
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
The brass body showing a hinged lid rising up to a faceted receptacle with an engraved hinged cover, overtop a hinged open compartment which then lifts to reveal an interior fitted ...
Category

Early 20th Century Bruneian Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Brass

20th Century French Hand Painted Ceramic Ashtray by Longwy Stamped and Numbered
Located in Sofia, BG
Hand painted oval ceramic ashtray with small covered part in the middle. The top of it is decorated with flowers and leaves in bright colours. There are numerous stamps and numbers o...
Category

Early 20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Silver Oval Box, 19th Century, with Hallmarks
Located in Madrid, ES
Oval box. Silver, 19th centu. With contrast marks. Oval box with flat lid made of silver, partially gilded, decorated on the outside with figurative scenes ...
Category

19th Century European Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

German Silver Gilt Oval Tobacco Box, Augsburg, circa 1720
Located in New York, NY
Maker Elias Adams. Finely engraved with arabesques on cover, shoulder and body.
Category

1720s Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

1980s English Metal Black Trinket Box with Egyptian Art Decoration
Located in Marbella, ES
1980s English metal black trinket box with Egyptian art decoration.
Category

Late 20th Century English Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Metal

19th Century French Papier Mâché Hand Painted Round Trinket Box
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century French papier mâché hand painted round trinket box.
Category

Mid-20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Paper

Antique Chased Silver Snuff Box Set with Fine Italian Micromosaic Plaque
Located in London, GB
The small rectangular silver snuff box, chased with foliage decorations and featuring a hinged back, is set with a detailed micromosaic plaque on top. The plaque depicts a rural land...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Stone, Silver

19th Century English Tortoiseshell Hinged Box with Silver Decorations
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century English tortoiseshell hinged box with silver decorations.
Category

19th Century English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Tortoise Shell

18th Century South Staffordshire Snuff Box - 'Musicians in parkland'
Located in Basildon, GB
An 18th Century South Staffordshire Snuff Box, decorated with a couple and two seated musicians in parkland, the sides with small panels within rai...
Category

18th Century English Rococo Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Bronze, Enamel

English 18th Century Gold-Mounted Agate Snuff-Box
Located in Paris, FR
Agate box or snuff-box in of circular form with gently bombé sides, the gold mounted lid is chased with scrollwork. Probably Georges II period. Unmarked gold...
Category

1750s English George II Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Agate, Gold

Burlwood Erotic Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
There is much more to this exquisite Georgian snuffbox than meets the eye. Beautifully crafted of striking burlwood, this unassuming box features a lining of precious tortoiseshell and a false bottom, which, when gently unscrewed, reveals a miniature erotic painting of exceptional detail. Erotic antiques...
Category

19th Century English Other Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Tortoise Shell, Burl

Not only for tobacco: Cast Iron English Old Box
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Rare English tobacco cast iron box, Victorian time: for connoisseurs ! If You don't smoke, it serves as a paperweight and it's beautiful to admire on You...
Category

19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Cast Stone

Basket Weave Snuff Box, Joseph Willmore, Birmingham, 1837
Located in London, GB
A Basket Weave Snuff Box, Joseph Willmore, Birmingham, 1837. An unusual basket weave Snuff Box made in Birmingham Additional information: Height: 2 cm / 1" Width: 1 cm / "
Category

19th Century English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Antique 19th Century Victorian Lignum Vitae Bulldog Tobacco Jar c.1890
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Victorian lignum vitae tobacco jar carved in the form of a bulldog head. The detail is of exceptional quality, featuring glass eyes, small pretruding white teeth...
Category

1890s British Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Glass, Wood

Chinese Brass Box with Chinese Letter Inscriptions on the Top
Located in Marbella, ES
Chinese Brass Box with Chinese Letter Inscriptions on the Top.
Category

Late 20th Century Chinese Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Brass

20th Century Russian Silver Trompe L'oeil Cigar Box, Ovchinnikov
By Fedor Ovchinnikov
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique early 20th century Imperial Russian solid silver tromp l'oeil cigar box, rectangular, the hinged cover, sides and base chased and engraved to simulate woodgrain and tobacco t...
Category

Early 1900s Russian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Silver

Set of 4 Kubus Snuffer by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 4 Kubus snuffer by Lassen Dimensions: D 21 x W 2.50 x H 3.50 cm Materials: Metal Weight: 0.33 Kg With reference to the iconic Kubus candleholders, the Kubus Snuffer in...
Category

2010s Danish Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Metal

George III Rococco Pressed Tortoiseshell, Ormolu, Bilston/Battersea Snuff Box
Located in London, GB
An extremely rare antique English George III Rococo pressed tortoiseshell, ormolu and Battersea enamel snuff box. This beautiful oblong box is in pristine condition and has been well...
Category

1760s English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Enamel, Ormolu

19th Century French Red Aventurine Top Silver Box
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century French red aventurine top silver box.
Category

18th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Porphyry, Silver

1970s Indian Bronze Box with Character on the Lid
Located in Marbella, ES
1970s Indian bronze box with character on the lid.
Category

Late 20th Century Indian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

Materials

Bronze

Antique Snuffboxes for Sale on 1stDibs

Today antique snuffboxes and tobacco boxes — as well as a lot of other vintage tobacco accessories — are collectibles and charming pieces of decor for any display case or to elevate your bookshelves.

Snuff, made of ground tobacco, was especially popular with Europeans in the 1600s. The ornate boxes to keep the powder dry became highly decorative by the 18th century. It was considered a must-have item, particularly for nobility.

The most important feature of a snuffbox was that it was airtight. The box protected the snuff from oxygen. Another crucial component was the flat lid.

Snuffboxes could be small enough to fit into a pocket or a larger container for communal use at the table. They also came in different shapes. Porcelain containers were prevalent and often designed to look like trunks. Others were oval or square. Boxes made with cowrie shells were rare and more expensive.

Snuffboxes were usually crafted from silver, gold, horn or tortoiseshell. Some of the most prestigious snuffboxes were French tabatières made of gold and sometimes glass. They could be adorned with amethysts, sapphires and diamonds and enameled, engraved or chased.

Sheffield, England, was known for its silver snuffboxes in the late 18th century as its silver-plating technologies perfected these containers. By the early 19th century, the silver industry in Birmingham, England, was producing elegant snuffboxes with images of abbeys and castles on the sides and top.

Another type of tobacco box was the snuff mull or mill. It was made out of horn or an entire ram’s head and topped with a metal lid, frequently featuring engravings and decorative hinges. These were fashionable in Scotland during the 19th century. The origin of its name is unclear.

On 1stDibs, find a plentiful range of antique snuffboxes and tobacco boxes to complement any home decor or furniture style. You can browse the collection by style, which includes Victorian, Georgian and Art Deco, or by material to find pieces in silver and gold.

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