Tobacco Box
1816
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
1/2 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/16 in. (1.3 x 7 x 5.6 cm); 2 oz. 9 dwt. (76.8 g)
Classification
Box
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Charles Allen Munn, 1924
Accession Number
24.109.41
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art this exquisite *Tobacco Box* crafted by John Erwin in 1816 exemplifies the refined silversmithing of early 19th-century. Measuring a compact 1/2 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/16 inches and weighing just over 2 ounces, the box was designed for portability, likely to hold snuff—a finely ground tobacco popular among gentlemen of the era. Erwin, an American artisan, fashioned it from silver, a precious metal prized for its durability, luster, and status as a luxury good in a young nation eager to rival European elegance. Silver tobacco boxes like thi...