This one is just superb! Elegant 6” long table snuff from mid-late 1700s, French, hand carved and so much fine pique work in tiny brass pin inlays, it's truly a work of art. The sole is particularly splendid with the brass horseshoe set on heel and 4 hearts, it might well have been crafted to bring luck to a gambler. Overall brass stringing and pique and I really am not seeing any areas of loss. Typically, I polish those to bring them to a higher gold so they show up a little more, but this one seems to have an added lacquer. Snuff is, of course, pulverized tobacco one 'sniffed' up the nose. The use seems a bit repulsive, though popular in this era. But the variety of magnificent snuff boxes survive to thrill the senses at the variety and artistry of entire industries which created them, artists, all!
Very good to excellent with no obvious flaw to note, apart from just some natural aging. Photos show it well, a beautiful contrast of brown and deeper darker brown hardwoods, a 4-leaf clover or hearts motif there on top, hinged lid. You can see it in our images, along with a full S-curve arabesque to sides, repeated near toe. The lid closes smoothly and tightly, no warp. A spectacular large example of this very 1700s art.
