Snuffbox
Unknown Artist
ca. 1825
Medium
Silver, shell
Dimensions
1 x 2 3/8 x 1 7/8 in. (2.5 x 6 x 4.8 cm); 1 oz. 5 dwt. (39.1 g)
Classification
Box
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933
Accession Number
33.120.146
Art Historical Context
This delicate snuffbox, crafted around 1825 by an unknown American artist, exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of early 19th decorative arts. Measuring just 1 x 2⅜ x 1⅞ inches and weighing a mere 1 ounce 5 dwts, it was designed to hold finely ground tobacco snuff—a popular luxury among gentlemen of the era. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it the collection through the 1933 bequest of Alphonso T.water, highlighting its status as a treasured artifact of American material culture. Fashioned from silver and shell, the box showcases the silversmith's skill in combining ...