Antique probably Edwardian snuff box with pewter cartouche and decoration

Antique probably Edwardian snuff box with pewter cartouche and decoration lovely small laquered snuff box I would think 1920s very collectible small nibble to front reflected in price 71/2 cm wide 4 cm depth 2 cm tall we have 2 snuff boxes may sell together please contact us for pricing etc

Some age related wear

Snuff boxes became popular in the 18th century as snuff-taking became fashionable:

Origins

Snuff boxes first became fashionable in the second half of the 17th century. The habit of snuff-taking may have been started by the English after a French merchant ship carrying snuff was blown up during a battle.

Design

Snuff boxes were small, usually ornamented boxes with tight-fitting lids to prevent the snuff from drying out. They were made from a variety of materials, including silver, ivory, steel, horn, exotic wood, potato pulp, copper, brass, and tortoiseshell. The lids were often decorated with flowers, allegories, or other 18th-century subjects.

Function

Snuff boxes were highly decorated and valuable, and were often given as gifts. Some were small enough to fit in a waistcoat pocket, while others were larger. Some snuff boxes were even worn as jewelry.

Culture

The act of handling the snuff box and offering snuff became a secret code known as the "language of the tabatière".

Decline

Snuff-taking was popular among the aristocracy and monarchy until the mid-19th century. Snuff boxes became collectors' items in the 19th century.