Continental US Snuff Boxes and Tobacco

The outer ring slides to allow the snuff box to be opened. Engraved Silver Monogram on top.

German neoclassical round snuff box with ancient Roman scene.

The white ground floral decorated snuff box with openings at both ends, one opening revealing painted initials D.V. for Duc de Villroy.

Depicting land battles and a seascape. Gilt metal fittings.

This important German porcelain snuff box exhibits delightful artistry and craftsmanship. Hand painted classical tableau celebrating the e...

The pair of jars with covers with old repairs and chips.

Pocket snuff flask carved from coquille nut. Amazing small pocket snuff bottle, carved from a large coquille nut. This antique piece was created in the shape of a spinning top with two secret compartments which can be unscrewed to open. Made in the continental Europe and most probably French or Portuguese provenance from the 18th century, circa 1780. Extensively decorated with organic and floral motifs with a beautiful image of a nut on the upper part. Curiously due to the shape of this piece, it could be played as a spinning tool on a table. This adds a particular interest for the multiple use with which the carving was conceived. Weight: 42.60 Grams. Measurements: Diameter of 40 mm and a height of 89 mm (1.57 x 3.5 Inches). Hallmarks: No marks, gorgeous deep antique patina. Coquille Nut The coquille nut emanates from swampy areas on the eastern side of South America, from a palm known as the “attalea funiefera”. Brazilians call it “Piassabe”. The nuts were introduced into Western Europe in the mid-16th century, and used for small carved objects until the end of the 19th century. Coquille nut is a fruit of a Brazilian palm...

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...

Chinese, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), 19th century. A grouping or instant collection of antique porcelain enameled salt boxes. Each box is decorated with immortal being riding the fabl...

English Porcelain cottage pastille burner, circa 1820.

Trimmed in elegant yellow gold is this polished English agate snuff box. Distinguished by the dynamic patterning of the agate, the exquisite vessel i...

This rare brass box would have been a coveted contraption in the finest English pubs of the 18th and 19th centuries. Known as an “honesty” box, the rectang...

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...

Antique Benedict Studio Arts & Crafts Hammered Copper Humidor - W7976 This is an antique c. early 1900s Arts & Crafts Hammered Copper Humidor by Benedict Studios. Looks like it has ...

This intriguing Chinese zhadou is intricately carved of fine cinnabar lacquer. A work of exceptional artistry, this covered bowl is adorned with an intricately carved floral motif on all surfaces, including the cover and the wide rim. Also known as a cuspidor or spittoon, this rare container would have been used by members of the imperial family and scholar- officials at the court. Carved during the Kangxi period (1662-1722), this charming piece exhibits the high detail and charm associated with items from that period, making it a true treasure, Early 18th century (Kangxi dynasty) Measures: 6 ¼” wide x 3 ¼” high Cinnabar has been revered for its color all over the world. It has been found in the royal burial chambers of the Mayas, in the rituals of India, and in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. In China, cinnabar and gold were the two most important elements in alchemy. Mined since the Neolithic Age, cinnabar is the ore of mercury, and as such, it can be incredibly toxic, especially when mining. In fact, during the Roman Empire, miners at Spain’s Almadén mine in Spain were frequently exposed to mercury fumes, and the subsequent, often fatal, sickness was considered an occupational hazard. The most popular known use of cinnabar is in Chinese carved lacquer-ware, a technique that is believed to have originated in the Song Dynasty, in which cinnabar is ground to a powder and added to clear lacquer. As with mining, there was inherent danger of mercury poisoning for those who carved the lacquer, as mercury was also released into the air when artisans ground the pigments. Most antique cinnabar...

This is a fascinating Baccarat style crystal cigarette box is in the shape of a bell. It is brass with a silver finish and some neoclassical desi...

A wonderful old tobacco box with handsome banding.  

An exquisite miniature of French philosopher Charles Montesquieu graces the lid of this tortoiseshell-lined snuff box. The handsome portrait was fash...

18th century Georgian hand-carved walnut wood tobacco box on its original stand. This is an extremely fine and rare piece and one of its kind.