For those of you interested in french snuff boxes, here is a seller in France that sells them quite reasonably: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ra-3907/Tabatiere-/\\_i.html?\\_fsub=14506089016&\\_sid=1313632726&\\_trksid=p4634.c0.m322 They are all new, unused, according to the photos and the descriptions, I already grabbed 3 of them but he still has a lot to choose from. Enjoy.

Check Etsy, too. There are several French vendors there selling snuff boxes.

Haven’t got much luck finding anything remotely similar on etsy, and the ones resembling are quite used or even unusable. My OP was strictly related to vintage but new ( a.i. unused) boxes.

I have purchased several on Etsy that I am using. Have to look closely at the photos for damage, cracks, and holes. I suspect a vintage unused snuff box is a rare find indeed.

I just got my 3 boxes from this seller, they look much better in real life than in the photos, and I can confirm they are absolutely authentic, new, with no sign of use or wear. I fact they look and feel so good that I am almost shy to put any snuff inside, hahaha. Very happy with this purchase.

Nice! I do like the look of those, but I’ve decided I have enough (more than enough) snuff boxes now. Although I do wish I’d had the opportunity to grab one or two a couple of years ago.

For your amusement, and edification, some low quality pics in artificial lighting.

Those are VERY nice snuff boxes. Good find!

@Gilliat

I don’t see the Chess Board one on his site , how did you find it ?

Do they leak at all ?

@yisraeldov : they are one of a kind, of course the listing ended when I bought it, this is why it doesn’t appear anymore. ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222386732413 ) They do not leak at all, the seal is perfect, I filled one of them with some fine grind WoS and shook it vigorously in all directions, nothing is coming out. He currently has another 30 boxes, I would buy at least other 10 of them if I would have the money, even if only for collecting, it’s still incredible to me that they are so cheap, given the fact that they are unused in pristine condition.

Awesome just ordered one, I’m so excited as it’s pretty much my very first snuff box if you dont count the plastic one i got my de kralingse in. Thanks for the heads up!

I pulled the trigger on another 3 of them, due to be delivered today or tomorrow. I sincerely hope the seller doesn’t post any other boxes, some are too beautiful to resist.

just picked up one [the one with coww horn]–thanks Gilliat! BTW, when did these stop being produced?? did the St Claude snuf box and briar pipes both go away or is there some residual French   atisanship still going on?

@marco: good that you picked that one, I was eyeballing it lately, but I am more attracted to the wooden ones. I didn’t have the time to dedicate myself into researching the history of Saint-Claude woodworking tradition, and I am not very passionate about french pipes either. This particular style of snuffboxes though is something quite interesting. It seems that “The manufacturing of such a snuffbox, requires in between 60 to 80 passes (different working phases made on the same object) depending on the model.” ( http://tabatieres-snuffboxes.chez-alice.fr/fabrication\\_tabatiere\\_gb.htm ) I am not even sure they were produced only in Saint Claude, as I have seen others with different inscriptions on the metalic lip thumbrest. ( LA BRETONNE, LA JURASSIENNE, etc…) anyways, my opinion is that they are at least 50 years old, maybe even 100. I sincerely doubt that they would be so cheap if produced nowadays. You cannot truly appreciate that craftmanship until you hold one in your hand.

Just ordered me a couple of these boxes, the naked lady and the fishing scene.

The one that looks like a monstrance is awesome.  No money for that though - wifey would kill me.

@n9inchnails I’m glad you saved me from buying that one also. 3 of the 7 boxes in this style that I already own come with the metalic lip on the cover, and these do open/close smoother than the ones without. I think the seller still has unlisted boxes, as ke keeps puting up to 30 items, adding new ones each time he sells some.

Latest arrivals:

Whoa i almost bought the “nekkid lady” it was actually my wife who said i should buy it  :)  i am tempted buy another of these boxes

@Hawaiian_Ryan  This is where he got those boxes.  I picked up a couple and they are in perfect condition, my guess is that they are from the private collection of a non-snuffing family member who passed away

Well, I just ordered one. I lost a Patrick Collins zebra wood box the other day, my very favorite box. This should go some small way to console me.

Thanks/Mahalos @n9inchnails for the lookout for me I appreciate it.Shaka to u :-c and Aloha.

And here are some nice images of the one I bought:

How tight are these boxes? Are they more of a tabletop snuff box or would they do fine in your pocket?

They are about as snuff proof as wooden snuff boxes get and are pocket sized, you can see in the one pic that they are about 3 inches long. A tip on how to get them open (some of them close right tight) is to wedge your finger tips under the lid then roll them up to pop the lid open

I just ordered one more, and that’s me for new snuff boxes until 2018. Before these two, I haven’t bought any boxes for ages. These days, I tend to find myself using one or two boxes most of the time. But I love good woodwork, and these look beautiful.

Cool, glad to see some appreciation for real snuffboxes, wood being in many ways better than metal or plastic for snuff keeping. I got 8 pieces from this seller already, but only use 2, the rest I bought just because they were too cheap judging their real value.

@Gilliat, I’m not convinced wood is the best material for snuff boxes if you use anything other than fine, dry snuffs. But that’s okay, that’s my profile. Dholakia White and HDT probably make up 90% of my snuff intake. I’m buying these two for daily use, and those are probably what they will carry most of the time.

Metal for example is prone to fast temperature variations,  and plastic unless very good quality and density cracks or takes the smell of snuff,  impossibe to get out. As long as you keep each snuffbox dedicated to a category, I do not see a better option. Not to mention the feeling of a good hard wood, skilfully processed, which no other material is able to give. I also appreciate good jewellery work and have a few nice (and too expensive) pewter, brass, and stainless steel snuffboxes, but for me still these rosewood ones seem to be the best.

Great spot, @Gilliat - thank you! I have just pushed the button on a wood and horn one from the site.

I received my three boxes from this vendor. They are really beautiful, maybe a little bit bigger than ideal for me, but still easily fit in the pocket. Very happy with this purchase!

Pics pls. I’m curious about others’  preferences, haven’t seen many  of the already bought ones!

@Gilliat, I posted the vendor’s images earlier in the thread. Those images are better than any I could produce on my own.

Here’s my attempt to post the pic for the one i bought–using the vendor’s image…it is a great box btw!

@yisraeldov, there’s one up there now that is a bit like a chessboard - not really, not the right number of squares, but like the one you were admiring. Four days left. Make the guy an offer, he provides a small discount if you ask. Put me out of my misery, I’ve bought six now, three still on the way. I like the plain wood ones best, without the metal bands and the encrustcheons. Like the chess box. I’ve ordered one cow horn one, just for variety

@JarartaBoy, thanks, but I’m saving my snuff budget to get some OSP #4

I went mostly for the ones with metallic lip on the cover, as they open/close more smoothly and if they have the metal ends and continuous hinge even better, those are the areas that will see most wear, so the design is quite well thought. Apart from that, the front decorations are quite easy to remove/replace if one fancies modding them.

I have to be happy with my very old flip tops  :((  I wish I could had grabbed a few dozen of the new ones.