A very early William 111 Snuff/Tobacco Box Dated 1696. The Cedar top inlaid with bone inscribed ‘THE BEST IS NOT TOO GOOD FOR YOU 1696. The bottom is possibly sycamore and the sides peeled cow horn held in place by Blackthorn ‘tacks’ In immaculate condition and totally original. It has taken on a beautiful patina and is very tactile. A very rare box indeed……..
Pinto, in his book on Treen mentions that there is a group of these type of boxes, all bone inlaid on Cedar. All cow horn sides with blackthorn tacks and all with inscriptions of various types. Some more ornate than others. He concludes that this group/type of Tobacco/Snuff Box were made by one man between 1650-1705 . (See last photo for two example) They were made for Tobacco in shops and pubs as boxes for free samples. “If a box was good enough to keep Tobacco fresh it was good enough for Snuff.”
A very early William 111 Snuff/Tobacco Box Dated 1696. The Cedar top inlaid with bone inscribed ‘THE BEST IS NOT TOO GOOD FOR YOU 1696. The bottom is possibly sycamore and the sides peeled cow horn held in place by Blackthorn ‘tacks’ In immaculate condition and totally original. It has taken on a beautiful patina and is very tactile. A very rare box indeed……..
Pinto, in his book on Treen mentions that there is a group of these type of boxes, all bone inlaid on Cedar. All cow horn sides with blackthorn tacks and all with inscriptions of various types. Some more ornate than others. He concludes that this group/type of Tobacco/Snuff Box were made by one man between 1650-1705 . (See last photo for two example) They were made for Tobacco in shops and pubs as boxes for free samples. “If a box was good enough to keep Tobacco fresh it was good enough for Snuff.”
