Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Mid-20th Century Japanese Anglo-Japanese Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bone, Bamboo, Wood
19th Century European Other Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Agate
19th Century Dutch Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Boxwood, Fruitwood, Walnut
19th Century Irish Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
1950s English Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Leather, Cork
1920s English Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-19th Century French Rococo Revival Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Boxwood
19th Century Dutch Colonial Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Mahogany
1770s French Louis XVI Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Porcelain
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Porcelain
1910s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone
1940s Chinese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold Plate
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Walnut
18th Century French Victorian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Tin
19th Century Georgian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Yew
19th Century Norwegian Romantic Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
Early 20th Century Japanese Taisho Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bamboo, Bakelite, Hardwood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Leather, Fabric, Glass
Mid-18th Century French Romantic Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Other, Brass
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Teak
1980s Italian Queen Anne Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-19th Century French Romantic Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Other
Early 20th Century Unknown Islamic Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
18th Century Dutch Baroque Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1930s Italian Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bakelite
Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo Raj Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Stone, Metal, Brass
18th Century Dutch Colonial Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
2010s American Organic Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bronze
1960s French Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Ebony
Late 20th Century Philippine Post-Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Travertine, Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century Japanese Taisho Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass, Sheet Metal
1820s English Regency Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Porcelain
2010s Argentine Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bronze
1940s Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Ceramic, Leather, Wood
19th Century French Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Gold
19th Century Japanese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
1980s American Colonial Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Poplar, Paint
19th Century Japanese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood
2010s American Organic Modern Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Bronze
Mid-19th Century English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
19th Century Dutch Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Pewter
19th Century Japanese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Lacquer
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Other
1950s French Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Metal
Mid-19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1670s English Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Agate, Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Revival Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Alabaster
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Brass
1950s French Brutalist Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood, Olive
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Copper
Early 1800s German Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Paper
19th Century Japanese Antique Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Wood, Lacquer
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.