A characterful early Victorian brass snuff box, hand-engraved with the name John Hall (Halt) and dated 1856. The octagonal form, wriggle-work decoration and practical construction are all consistent with miners’ or labourers’ snuff boxes of the mid-19th century — sturdy, compact and made to withstand daily use in harsh working conditions.
The box is crafted from brass sheet, hand-formed and joined with simple hinges and a thumb-piece clasp. The wriggle-work engraving is typical of working-class pieces of the period, created using a zig-zag gravers’ movement rather than elite workshop decoration. The personalised inscription adds wonderful social-history value.
The interior shows significant age-related oxidation — completely expected for a utilitarian brass snuff box that was carried and used heavily. The exterior has a warm, unpolished patina with bright engraved lines that catch the light.
A genuine piece of 19th-century British working-life history, offering both decorative appeal and a strong sense of place and period.
🌿 Octagonal brass snuff box, c.1856
🌿 Hand-engraved name: John Hall, dated 1856
🌿 Wriggle-work and line-engraved decoration
🌿 Typical form of mid-Victorian miners’ or labourers’ snuff boxes
🌿 Original hinged lid and thumb-piece clasp
🌿 Rich, uncleaned patina; age-worn interior
🌿 A tactile and authentic piece of social history
🌿 Measures approx. 6 cm wide
Condition
🌿 Structurally sound with working hinges and clasp
🌿 Heavy interior oxidation and surface wear appropriate to age and use
🌿 Small solder repair at the clasp area
🌿 Patina, marks and irregularities consistent with a genuine 19th-century utilitarian snuff box
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