Featured Small carved wood lidded shoe ... any ideas?

This little shoe is 2.5 inches long and the lid fits very tightly. It almost snaps open and closed. What would it have been used for? Where might it have come from? And do you reckon that's a real date or some early pin number or zip code? (S+W 1784)


Any info appreciated. Thanks.

 

Snuff box.... examples, https://www.google.com/search?q=woo...WshOAKHVoPDG8Q_AUoAnoECAsQBA&biw=1392&bih=739

 

OMG I would have never gotten that one in a million years.

That is truly very cool.

 

Fantastic! Thank you. So the date might be right? Any ideas as to origin and wood? I'd guess fruit tree and English, but that's me who thought it was for keeping needles.

Many, many thanks. I'll get reading and looking. Snuff, 'ey? Must try it sometime.

 

Enchanting early and rare snuffbox. Often pearwood, English. Shape is dead right for the style of shoe at the date. The initlals and date also look spot on. It's fabulous and highly collectible.

 

I'm most impressed that the lid still fits snuff box tight. What a great find!

 

Enchanting is the word.

Debora

 

I love these. They're honest, too - utility useable things.

 

We want the details on this one @CheersDears. Where did you find it & was it a steal?

 

If it was bought for much under 200 it was a steal.

 

Bought at auction -- we left Sydney and its auction houses in 2001 -- and the bloke thought my winning bid of $A60 was extravagant and mad. It was.

If we didn't have so much stuff, no outlet, no work, more distance, Covid, etc, it'd be tempting to go buying again. A $5 bat netsuke and $25 man are ivory, so kind board members inform me. A whim purchase seldom cost much more than 20 because we are not rolling in $. But what to do with it, 'ey? That is the question.

I've plenty more dubious acquisitions to roll out before you kind and knowledgeable people. Thanks so much .

 

That is awesome!!

 

Lovely, the writing looks right, the colour looks right, a little clean but that could be just well looked after. I would have bid against you Great find.

 

BTW the figure in pink, does he have a moving head? Porcelain isn't my game but I do remember those being quite sort after.

 

http://www.kjnuk.com/lh100218.html
https://www.nadeausauction.com/auction-catalog/?auction=1172&row=200&dir=a&ob=l&pics=0
I'm not sure if it's the big ones that go for big money, so please don't get excited lol

 

Four of those, including the Chinaman, are nodders but sadly they're not Meissen, thanks 808 Raver. Most of our stuff it is seriously minor league clutter. The ivory and shoe have been splendid exceptions, and it's only thanks to you lot that I know this.