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John Wakefield

Snuffbox

Maker

John Wakefield (English, active 1798 - 1818)

Title

Snuffbox

Year

ca. 1800

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Dimensions

5.1 x 8.9 x 7 cm (2 x 3 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

stamped on the underside of silver lid with maker's mark "IW".

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Richard and Inge Chafee

Object Number

2013.73.5

Type

Exhibition History

Trading Earth
Ceramics, Commodities, and Commerce
Apr 09, 2022 – Aug 03, 2025

Label copy

Placed on the back of the hand and inhaled through the nose, finely ground tobacco, or snuff, offers a smokeless way of ingesting nicotine. The practice began in Brazil, spreading through the Americas and to Europe by the 1700s, where the custom became one of social performance, accompanied by innovatively designed snuff boxes.

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

John Wakefield (English, active 1798 - 1818)
Snuffbox, ca. 1800
Shell and silver
5.1 x 8.9 x 7 cm (2 x 3 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches)
Gift of Richard and Inge Chafee 2013.73.5

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