Gilt Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes

This exceptional 19th century Scottish vesta case is crafted from finely polished banded agate, admired for its striking natural striations in shades of brown, grey, white, and smoky...

An art deco pocket-box designed by Alfred Dunhill. This is a fabulous pocket cigarettes box made in England during the art deco period. This unusual box was created for the luxury brand of Alfred Dunhill, back in 1921. The presentation box is fitted with a push pressure thumb-button and mechanical springs system. The box was carefully crafted at the Sampson Mordan & Co. workshops in solid .925/.999 sterling silver with accents in polished 18 karats yellow gold and gilded interiors. The box is mainly decorated on both sides, with engine turned geometrics patterns and polished finishes. The craftsmanship of this box is exceptional, with minuses details. No traces of use or wear. Weight: 84.2 Grams, (53.98 Dwt). Measurements: 83 mm by 72.5 mm by 10 mm (3.27 x 2.85 x 0.39 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped with British mark for England and the city of London; the maker's mark S.M & CO associated to Sampson Mordan & Co. (Sampson Mordan II), the mark for the assay of the .925 silver and the 18kt gold, the four-digits model number, the code-letter of a gothic F for the assay date of 1921 and signed in full as follows: "DUNHILL LONDON STERLING T-179 PATENT 31 S.M&CO F". Alfred Dunhill He inherited his father’s London saddlery in 1893. Following the increase in motor car ownership, Alfred developed the business to include motoring accessories, which he called ‘Dunhill’s Motorities’. This included goggles, timepieces, picnic sets, and leather coats, and it wasn’t long before the brand became associated with men’s general motoring attire. They opened two shops in Mayfair and had a catalogue of over 1300 items. Between the 1904 and 1905, Dunhill introduced their ‘Windshield Pipe’, to help drivers combat the effect of wind and travel on their ability to smoke. This marked both the end of the ‘motorities’ focus and their entry into the world of smoking ephemera, and they shortly opened their first tobacconist in 1907 on Duke Street. The proximity to several esteemed Private Members Clubs around the Mayfair, St James’ area ensured that the venture was a success. (From Nicholas Wells With Thanks). Sampson Mordan & Co. By 1865, the Mordan’s manufactory was based at 41 City Road, London, and later expanded to include No. 43. At some point the two brothers were joined in partnership by Edmund George Johnson...

An art deco enameled box by Louis Kuppenheim. This is a beautiful box created during the art deco period in the city of Pforzheim Germany, back in the late 1925-1930. The wonderful ...

A neo-classic guilloche enamel snuff-box This is a fabulous rectangular antique snuff-pill box, created in Pforzheim Germany back in the 1925. The beautiful colorful box has been cr...

Mechanical foldable box designed by Napier. This is a very interesting and unusual foldable mechanical case, created in America during the art deco period by the Napier company, bac...

A fine 18th century antique Georgian engraved sterling silver gilt toothpick or table snuff box, London, 1797. The box is finely engraved on all sides, with floral/foliate designs, t...

An art deco guilloche enamel box designed by Karl Neudolt. This is a fabulous rectangular antique case-box, created in Vienna Austria by the silversmith Karl Neudolt, back in the 19...

Art Deco pewter snuff tobacco box with classic floral relief. The inside of the lid is decorated with gold gilt and the box has been lined in wood. There are very intricate details o...

The box of rectangular shape with faceted corners topped with an enamel scene featuring three horses grazing by the watering trough amongst a sunburst enamel background. The interior...

This elegant Russian enamel cigarette case is crafted of gilt silver and decorated with a bright floral design of cloisonné enamel. A tur...

Chinoiserie orange enameled box by Louis Kuppenheim. Outstanding rare box, created during the art deco period in the city of Pforzheim Germany, back in the late 1930. This wonderful box is closely to mint condition, designed with cushioned shapes and chinoiserie patterns at the Louis Kuppenheim silversmith workshop. Crafted in solid .935/.999 silver, with gilt interiors and embellished with chiseled borders. Has an exceptional workmanship as you expect of the workshop of Louis Kuppenheim, with remarkable vivid orange enamels on both faces and the the four lateral panels. The main figure is a bird resting in a golden tree, which is made up with multicolor cloisonné technique. As a note, this box can be actually used for presentation cards and is fitted with an integrated mechanical push button. Weight: 125.40 Grams, (80.38 Dwt). Measurements: 59 mm by 84 mm by 15 mm (2.32 x 3.31 x 0.59 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped with German marks, the mark for the assay of the .935 silver, the box model number and signed, "DRGM 935 MADE IN GERMANY 2". Louis Kuppenheim The company was grounded in 1854 by Louis Kuppenheim (1824-1889) and Heinrich Witzenmann, specialized in silver and gold and enameled artefacts. On the World Exhibition in 1900 the firm received a gold medal for a letter opener. In that same year the company opened a branch in the Rue Richelieu 67 in Paris. In these years some designs by Hans Christiansen were executed, amongst them very delicately enameled silver cigarette cases...

Octagonal trinket, patch, "snuff" box, with roses on the sides and a couple lovers on lid. Very fine work by stamping (embossing) on the outside or insi...

A French Napoléon III rectangular shape jewelry casket With gilded bronzes and five hand-painted curved enamel plaques in gold and green on gold paillon, on a black emerald green background, decorated with reserves with white fleurons and lozenges, turquoise and rubies Coteau's enamels in relief. It opens with a flap, on the top, and its own original key, topped at each angle with ormolu acanthus leaves Upholstered silk interior Napoléon III Period circa 1880 “Prince of small cabinetmaking”, Tahan marked his time by the care taken to each of his pieces, both objects of art and utility. Generally of small or medium dimensions, these pieces of furniture have invaded the bourgeois interiors, so that according to the Book of Elegant Economy (1859), “they alone make the whole physiognomy of the time”. It is in Belgium in Spa, a small town of the Ardennes, that Pierre Lambert Tahan, table maker, begins this business with formidable destiny. He left Spa for Paris in 1804, and set up his “boxes and necessaries” factory in the Temple district. His son Jean Pierre Alexandre (1813-1892) was hence born in Paris, and helped him as soon as 1837, then took over the total direction of the company in 1844, his father ceasing all activity then. Jean Pierre Alexandre will then use his ingenuity to begin his great pioneering work. First of all, he separated the studio on rue de Quincampoix, from the shop in the rue basse du rampart. He develops the production of boxes but also realizes larger furniture items, “bonheur-du-jour”, desks, sewing tables. As early as 1845, he also began to advertise in the newspapers, a practice still very little used. “Supplier of the King and Princes”, he won a silver medal at the Exhibition of Industrial Products in 1849, and was then called "the Prince of Small Cabinetmaking." In 1855, he was awarded the title of "Supplier of the Emperor" at the Universal Exhibition where he exhibited an extraordinary sculpted aviary. The Court commissioned indeed a large number of works, including rosewood planters, lounge tables for the Palais des Tuileries, and a cabinet in mahogany and gilt bronze for Napoleon III’s office. His shop migrated 34 rue de la Paix (1849-1866), then 11 Boulevard des Italiens, (1866-1878). In 1861, Tahan is thus designated as "one of those manufacturers who outstrip fashion and set the tone instead of following." (La Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosité). Indeed, he collaborates quickly with Julien-Nicolas...

Very finely hand-painted enamel on porcelain jewelry casket. Rectangular shape in colored red, white and gold “coteau” enamels on a gold paillon and a turquoise blue sèvres backgrou...

Very fine George III silver gilt box with mounted micro-mosaic top panel. The box of rectangular form with rounded corners and thumb tab opening featur...