Silver Snuff Boxes
June 13, 2009 by Dean
Filed under Snuff Boxes
Collecting snuff boxes is a wonderful hobby as these fascinating and useful objects have an interesting history.
At one time, these small decorative boxes were an indispensable fashion accessory for gentlemen, dandies, and aristocrats from the 1700s to the mid 1800s.
Silversmiths, jewelers and enamelers went to great lengths to make fine examples of these jewel-like yet utilitarian objects. Gentlemen of Quality all possessed collections of snuff boxes, some of which were very ornate and had golden frames encrusted with diamonds and other precious stones. Some, of course, were plain and made for a less well-to-do clientèle.
Besides silver and gold, one also finds boxes made of tortoise shell, mother of pearl, pewter or wood. The lids were often decorated with portraits, vignettes of various scenes and even miniature copies of paintings by Old Masters.
Snuff taking and snuff boxes remained popular among diplomats even after the practice had ceased to be popular in general. Heads of State kept the practice of giving snuff boxes as gifts to visiting diplomats as a form of honorific for many years.
For example, at the coronation of George IV of England, the court jewelers, Rundell and Bridge, were paid approximately $40,000 in today’s value for snuff-boxes given as gifts to foreign ministers.
Snuff boxes today are collected by people from all walks of life and are avidly sought by collectors and museums.
To bid on any item below, simply click on the blue link next to the item. If you are new to online auctions, you can see my New to Auctions page for more information, including a very nice free video tutorial.
 1870s silver pelican pill snuff box shefield plate  US $99.00 |  AUSTRIO HUNGARY SILVER SNUFF BOX W CROWN c1872 PRAGUE US $79.00 |
 Silver Malachite Snuff Box Psalms Book Holder Pendant US $150.00 |  RUSSIAN SILVER 84 ENAMEL SNUFF BOX US $710.00 |
 Antique Austrian Silver Snuff Tobacco Case Box 19th AD US $112.49 |  VINTAGE VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER SNUFF PILL BOX US $47.99 |
 ANTIQUE SOLID SILVER ORIENTAL SNUFF BOX VERY PRETTY BOX US $52.36 |  Scent Herbal Smelling Salt in Silver Plastic Snuff Box US $8.00 |
 19th Century German Silver 800 Snuff box w Lady US $149.00 |  EXTREMELY RARE19thC ARMADILLO TAIL SNUFF BOX w Silver US $300.00 |
 ANTIQUE SILVER ENAMEL MOP HORSE RACING SNUFF BOX US $33.88 |  SOLID STERLING SILVER PILLS SNUFF BOX BEAUTIFUL BOX US $23.09 |
 NEW STERLING SILVER SNUFF PILL BOX WITH 1 CT GARNET US $25.50 |  GORGEOUS MOP TRINKET SILVER HEART PILL SNUFF ROSARY BOX US $24.99 |
 Vtg 925 Mexico Silver Pill Snuff Box Hexagon US $1.04 |  VINTAGE RUBY RED GLASS 800 SILVER SNUFF JAR PILL BOX US $4.24 |
 1890s Gorham sterling silver snuff pill box US $49.99 |  OTTOMAN SILVER SNUFF BOX 19th US $189.00 |
 SILVER TOBACCO SNUFF BOX ARMORIAL COLONEL KENT MURRAY US $300.32 |  Continental 835 Silver Snuff Tobacco Box Ca 1920 US $295.00 |
 antique snuff box silver inlaid US $34.33 |  FINE ANTIQUE GEORGIAN SOLID SILVER GILT SNUFF BOX 1827 US $70.84 |
 Solid Sterling Silver Theatre Mask Pill Snuff Box Lid US $35.99 |  Solid Sterling Silver Angel Oval Pill Snuff Box w Lid US $32.99 |
 SILVER ENAMEL FLOWER FAIRY PILL BOX SNUFF BOX US $17.71 |  Tortoise Shell Silver Plated Pill Snuff Box US $3.03 |
 Vintage Sterling Silver Snuff Box Pendant US $149.00 |  NEW STERLING SILVER IRISH CELTIC KNOT SNUFF PILL BOX US $26.50 |
 Georgian Solid Silver Crested Snuff Box dated 1805 US $76.23 |  VICTORIAN SILVER PLATED SNUFF PILL BOX Birmingham 1896 US $8.76 |
 ANTIQUE hm SILVER EMBOSSED TRINKET SNUFF BOX LID 1889 US $27.72 |  Antique Austro Hungarian Silver Gilt Snuff Box year1858 US $69.99 |
 Superb Victorian Sterling Silver Agate Snuff Box C1870 US $160.17 |  Antique Indian Solid Silver Erotic Snuff Box circa 1890 US $120.13 |
 SILVER SEASHELL DESIGN PILL BOX SNUFF BOX US $16.16 |  UNUSUAL ANTIQUE SOLID DUTCH SILVER VESTA SNUFF BOX 1849 US $18.51 |
 UNUSUAL ANTIQUE SOLID DUTCH SILVER VESTA SNUFF BOX 1839 US $38.50 |  ANTIQUE GEORGIAN OLD ENGLISH STERLING SILVER SNUFF BOX US $247.50 |
 SILVER MASONIC PILL BOX SNUFF BOX US $10.40 |  ANTIQUE SOLID DUTCH SILVER SNUFF BOX C1834 NO RESERVE US $55.44 |
 GEORGIAN SILVER VINAIGRETTE SNUFF BOX US $189.43 |  SILVER FLOWER FAIRY PILL SNUFF BOX US $26.26 |
 SILVER STEAM TRAIN PILL BOX SNUFF BOX US $8.47 |  Georgian Solid Silver Gilt Tobacco Snuff Box dated 1813 US $45.68 |
 SOLID SILVER PILL SNUFF BOX ENGRAVED TRIANGLE SHAPE US $2.62 |  ANTIQUE PERSIAN QAJAR SOLID SILVER SNUFF BOX C1880 US $38.50 |
 C Antique ENGLISH Sterling Silver SNUFF BOX Hallmarked US $89.99 |  Antique Black Lacquer Snuff Box Inlaid Silver 1800s US $95.00 |
 ORNATE FLEUR DE LIS STERLING SILVER SNUFF PILL BOX US $29.50 |  FINE ANTQUE ITALIAN SILVER PILL OR SNUFF BOX US $75.00 |
 VINTAGE SOLID SILVER TRINKET PILL OR SNUFF BOX US $2.70 |  VTG BHUMIYA RAJ HERO HORSE RIDE SNUFF BOX SILVER METAL US $12.95 |
 American Coin Silver Engraved Snuff Box US $36.67 |  VINTAGE ORNATE STERLING SILVER SNUFF BOX W FUNNEL US $19.99 |
 RARE Sterling Silver snuff box ring w large green stone US $25.00 |  antique silver quadroplate footed snuff or trinket box US $19.99 |
 Antique Sterling Silver Snuff Box to Cricket Box 1892 US $99.99 |  RARE Antique Silver Mother of Pearl Snuff or Pill Box US $149.99 |
 ART NOUVEAU EUROPEAN SILVER CHERUB TRINKET SNUFF BOX US $44.99 |  Small Silver medicine Mint Pill snuff trinket Box case US $13.89 |
 Sm Silver medicine Pill snuff trinket Box case vitamin US $13.89 |  Antique Silver Hallmark Pill Box Snuff Coin Case Casket US $.99 |
 Silver medicine Pill snuff trinket Box case vitamin NW US $13.89 |  ART DECO STERLING SILVER SNUFF PILL BOX w HALLMARK US $37.50 |
 SOLID STERLING SILVER SHELL PILL VESTA SNUFF BOX CASE US $146.31 |  SILVER GILT AND ENAMEL TRIANGULAR SNUFF BOX US $575.00 |
 Asprey Silver 1907 Faux Tortoiseshell Snuff Box 70 US $500.53 |  ► ANTIQUE OLD CRESCENT SILVER WOOD HUMIDOR SNUFF BOX 5 US $199.00 |
 Antique 19c Ornate Gorham Sterling Silver Snuff Box US $79.98 |  NICE 1870s AUSTRIAN SILVER ENAMELED SNUFF BOX US $320.00 |
 QUALITY SIGNED JAPANESE SILVER SNUFF BOX US $76.99 |  ANTIQUE WOODEN SILVER PLATED SNUFF BOX US $7.69 |
 305ozSterling Silver Vintage Snuff Boxes 49A US $41.85 |  French Sterling Silver Round Snuff Box Cherub Ca 1875 US $438.93 |
 ART DECO SILVER LOCKET SNUFF BOX PILL BOX H M BIRM 1925 US $13.09 |  PBH SOLID SILVER PILL SNUFF SOVEREIGN CASE BOX HOLDER US $1.91 |
 CONTINENTAL REPOUSSE SILVER PLATED SNUFF OR PILL BOX US $7.69 |  Superb Antique Solid Silver Snuff Pill Box US $15.39 |
 Antique 19th c Silver Gold Cobalt Enamel Snuff Box US $9.95 |  Hand Painted Bird Mother of Pearl Silver Snuff Pill Box US $9.99 |
 STUNNING STERLING SILVER SNUFF PILL BOX AUSTRIA US $9.95 |  STERLING Silver 4 Triquetra CELTIC KNOT Snuff PILL BOX US $30.00 |
 VINTAGE STERLING Silver SNUFF MATCH PILL BOX US $20.00 |  antique austrian sterling silver glass snuff box US $98.00 |
 ANTIQUE HANAU GERMAN ENGLISH IMPORTED SILVER SNUFF BOX US $350.00 |  tibet SILVER ENGRAVE ONFOO DOG PATTERN SNUFF BOX US $.58 |
 GOLDENRETRIEVER 925 STERLING SILVER PILL BOX SNUFF BOX US $38.00 |
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