Snuffbox or patchbox 1746 - 1759

This delicate snuffbox or patchbox, standing at just two inches tall, was created by the Saint James’s Factory between 1749 and 1759. These boxes were functional, but they also acted as status symbols, reflecting the social rituals of the 18th century elite. Imagine the powdered wigs, the perfumed air, and the furtive whispers of the French court—this object was intimately connected to that world. Snuff, or powdered tobacco, was often flavored and inhaling it was a popular social practice. Patchboxes, meanwhile, held small fabric patches used to cover blemishes or, more coquettishly, to draw attention to certain features, like the eyes. The figures atop the box speak to notions of intimacy and affection, yet the whiteness of the porcelain also reminds us of the racial hierarchies of the time. What stories could this box tell of its owners, of their desires, and of the world they inhabited? It serves as a poignant reminder of beauty, but also the complexities inherent in even the smallest objects.