Antique Gutta Percha Snuff Box with Portrait of a Lady, Late 19th Century

Presented is an antique gutta percha snuff box, with a small colored portrait of a lady on the lid. The snuff box dates to the late 19th century.  Snuff boxes were used for containing snuff, a mixture of ground tobacco and scented oils. The boxes were very popular, starting in the 17th century when snuff-taking became fashionable. They were often pocket-sized and had a tight fitting lid to prevent the snuff from drying out. Highly decorated and valuable objects, their designs evolved and changed as fashions did. It also became very popular to personalize snuff boxes as much as possible, with engraved names, significant decorations, or even portraits as seen in this example. Because of their ornamentation, they became collectors’ items in the 19th century.  Gutta percha boxes are sometimes referred to as “union cases” by collectors. They were made from a mixture of wood and shellac that was then pressed into a mold. The result was an early plastic-like product that still remains intact