Large William 4th Snuff or Tobbaco Box

Before the introduction of cigarettes loose tobbaco was sold, at this same time snuff was also used, this would be made from grinding tobbaco to a fine powder, this would be inhaled through the nostrels, unlike tobbaco which had to be placed in a receptical such as a pipe and then ignited before smoking. 
 
Snuff and tobbaco boxes came in all shapes and materials from the early chinese snuff bottles to very basic plain tins.
 
This is a hinged snuff or tobbaco tin with a sun ray decoration to the uper part and an inscribed letter Y to the lid. It is in curved form to enable the user to carry it in a hip pocket, the curve following the shape of the hip. It is made from a polished silver coloured metal. Because of its size it would probably been used by a man, and he would have been of an average income, a poorer man would have a basic tin, a richer man a silver box. 
 
The box is in good overall condition with no splits or cracks to the metal and only showing very fine faint scratches, the hinge works well and the lid closes equally well.
 
Dimensions: 9.5cm x 7cm