About this lot

Description

London, circa 1681, maker's mark only, (PH within scalloped rectangle), of plain cylindrical form with friction fitting cover and removable cylindrical rasp, all three pieces struck with maker's mark, 1.9ozt gross (Dimensions: h: 9cm w: 2.50cm d: 2.50cm )

(h: 9cm w: 2.50cm d: 2.50cm )

Footnote: Other notes: Although tobacco was introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century, the way in which it was used differed greatly from today. A fine tobacco powder known as snuff was inhaled from the back of the hand or the fingertips. Dried tobacco leaves were generally sold in tightly bound bundles and, although commercially produced snuff was available, many snuffers preferred to make their own. Snuff rasps like this one were developed to be conveniently carried in a pocket, so that a portion of snuff could be prepared at any time by grinding a bundle of dried tobacco leaves on the rasp. Silver tobacco rasps differ from silver nutmeg graters in that usually the rasps themselves were made of silver for the soft tobacco leaves - as opposed to steel for the harder nutmeg nuts. Snuff-taking was an expensive habit and could only be afforded by the well-to-do, with the result that snuff-related objects, like rasps and boxes, are often made from precious materials, as in this example. The maker's mark is listed in Jackson's as a box maker but without attribution, dated 1681/82. Literature: Sir Charles Jackson, Silver & Gold Marks of England, Scotland & Ireland, Antiques Collectors Club, 3rd Edition, 1994, p137 The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, number 1418-1902

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