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Details / Information for Snuff Box

Snuff Box

c. 1780–90
goldsmith

Johann Christian Neuber

(German, 1736–1808; active Dresden 1762-c.1800)
Culture
Germany, Dresden
Medium
gold, multi-colored hardstone
Measurements
Overall: 2.9 x 5.7 x 4.3 cm (1 1/8 x 2 1/4 x 1 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Howard F. Stirn 2009.35
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

Because of his use of rare hardstones cut in tiny intricate patterns, Johann Christian Neuber's works, including small ones such as this snuffbox, are highly prized by museums and collectors alike.

Description

Snuff was a scented form of tobacco powder, traditionally sniffed for maximum effect. The practice of inhaling a pinch of snuff was common in England during the 1600s and became widespread in other countries in the 1700s. The demand for decorated snuffboxes, considered valuable gifts, increased as the practice spread. Some were small enough to fit in a waistcoat pocket and gave 18th-century craftsmen an opportunity to execute rich and elaborate designs on a small scale. One of the most talented German goldsmiths, Johann Christian Neuber, was particularly adept at cutting and insetting rare hardstones sourced from the rich mines of northern Germany. He created a kaleidoscope of color on every surface of this little box in radiant patterns. Neuber's work was so renowned that he was made court jeweler to the elector of Saxony, Frederick Augustus the Third (1750-1827) in 1775.
An oval gold snuff box features gold framework inlaid with hardstone and enamel. On the lid, a central floral bouquet in pink, blue, and white is surrounded by a sunburst of alternating red and banded gray stone. Large orange-petaled flowers with blue centers decorate the sides, separated by gray stone sections. Ornate gold borders frame each stone segment, while tiny gold flowers line the rim. The entire surface is covered in vibrant geometric patterns.

Snuff Box

c. 1780–90

Johann Christian Neuber

(German, 1736–1808; active Dresden 1762-c.1800)
Germany, Dresden

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