Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
19th Century English High Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
19th Century European Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
19th Century Swiss Other Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
1760s English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Enamel, Ormolu
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century French Charles X Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
Early 20th Century Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
Early 20th Century English Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Terracotta
19th Century American Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
18th Century English Other Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Agate, Gold
18th Century English George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Enamel
20th Century Russian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
18th Century German George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Porcelain
Early 19th Century German Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Lacquer
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
1740s Scottish George II Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Other
Mid-19th Century English Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
1830s English George IV Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
18th Century English George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Enamel
1920s Chinese Chinese Export Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
18th Century English George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Enamel
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Copper
19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Cast Stone
19th Century European Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bronze
Late 19th Century European Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Metal
Early 20th Century Bruneian Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
Early 19th Century Scottish Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1820s French Restauration Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
20th Century English High Victorian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver Plate
1790s English Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Enamel
18th Century English George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Copper, Enamel
1920s German Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver Plate
1890s Portuguese Rustic Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
18th Century English George III Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Copper, Enamel
Late 18th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Walnut
1970s English Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Rock Crystal, Gold
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Copper, Enamel
Early 19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
Early 20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Elm
1910s North American Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone, Silver
1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
19th Century French Chinoiserie Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone, Gold
19th Century Irish Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
19th Century Austrian Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Fruitwood
Late 18th Century French Empire Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Majolica, Pottery
19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Fruitwood
Mid-19th Century Dutch Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood, Lacquer
Late 18th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Walnut
19th Century Italian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone
Early 19th Century Belgian Empire Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
18th Century French Rococo Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Porcelain
Antique Snuffboxes and Tobacco Boxes
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. Today antique snuffboxes and tobacco boxes — as well as other vintage tobacco accessories — are collectibles and charming pieces of decor for any display case or to elevate your bookshelves.
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.