Georgian Engine / Rose Turned Ebony Snuff Box Circa 1840

Ebony snuff box with geometric turning/carving on top and bottom. Bone inlay on top.

The carving is crisp and of meticulous quality. The condition is very good, with a small loss to the bone and a superficial small age crack. Top and bottom fit together nice and tight.

The snuff box was made using a Holtzapffel lathe. Holtzapffel & Co. was a tool and lathe making company in London founded by German immigrant, John Jacob Holtzapffel in 1793. The firm specialized in lathes for ornamental turning, something that was a popular leisure occupation for gentlemen at that time.

Snuff is a smokeless tobacco which originated in the Americas. The habit of inhaling snuff became established in England during the reign of Charles II (1630 -1685). By the 1700s, snuff was the approved tobacco product favoured by the nobility and ornate boxes started being produced to keep the snuff dry.