La Fuite en Egyte Religious Snuff Box

Description

La Fuite en Egyte Religious Snuff Box – Inventory Number: PER 444 Ornate snuff box circa 1800 from a lifetime collection of nearly 200 snuff boxes.  Measures approximately 2 ½” x 13/4”. The snuff box was a small, usually ornamented box for holding snuff (a scented, powdered tobacco). The practice of sniffing or inhaling a pinch of snuff was common in England around the 17th century; and when, in the 18th century, it became widespread in other countries as well, the demand for decorated snuffboxes, considered valuable gifts, increased. Some were small enough to fit in a waistcoat pocket, and others were larger; all gave 18th-century craftsmen an opportunity to execute rich and elaborate designs. Throughout the Civil War snuff production boomed.  It was even recommended by doctors as a general cure-all, particularly effective in the treatment of coughs, colds, and headaches.  Many soldiers carried snuff in their haversacks.  *To purchase this item directly with a credit card, please click on this link.   Inventory Number: PER 444