Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Resin
Early 1900s Austrian Edwardian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Terracotta
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
19th Century Swedish Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Horn
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
1930s Chinese Chinoiserie Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal, Enamel
Mid-19th Century European Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Ceramic
1880s French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Tortoise Shell
1820s Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Industrial Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Iron
19th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Horn
1810s Swiss Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silk
Early 1900s English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Tortoise Shell
1960s Indian Hollywood Regency Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1920s European Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Agate, Gold
19th Century German Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
18th Century Chinese Other Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Lacquer
19th Century German Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
19th Century English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
Mid-20th Century Spanish Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Lapis Lazuli, Metal
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
19th Century Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Early 20th Century European Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass, Copper
1880s British Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
Late 20th Century English Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
Early 19th Century German Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Other
1760s English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Enamel, Ormolu
1880s French French Provincial Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Majolica
20th Century English High Victorian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver Plate
19th Century English Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Fruitwood
1890s Portuguese Rustic Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Agate
Early 19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
Early 19th Century German Neoclassical Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Lacquer
19th Century English Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Faience
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.