Posted 4 years ago
Wknj
(1 item)
Hi
Curious is this the real deal? Hard to believe someone would go thru the trouble of reproing this.
Thanks
Brass snuff box. .....is it the real deal? | ||
| Snuff Boxes7 of 59 |  |  |
Brass snuff box. .....is it the real deal? | ||
| Snuff Boxes7 of 59 | | |
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Posted 4 years ago
Wknj
(1 item)
Hi
Curious is this the real deal? Hard to believe someone would go thru the trouble of reproing this.
Thanks
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No idea if it is real or a reproduction, but things like this get reproduced in China and India for a few pennies, so if someone can make $5 off of something it is worth it if they can sell a few of them. Might want to add an image of the bottom.
Not sure how to add another pic. If it were a repro I can’t believe they would use solder on in the inside to keep it together.
I've seen many soldered brass items made in India. I do not recall ever seeing anything made made of brass in China that used solder but that does not mean it isn't done there.
It helps considerably if you flip the first picture to show the etched design more clearly. It features the lettering "OLD Q" and the figure of a man with a walking stick (or possibly a riding crop) under his arm.
I did a quick search on "OLD Q" and found some stuff. Turns out your snuff box is early 19th century and depicts the "debauched" Duke of Queensbury (known in his day as "Old Q"). Other examples of your box can be found online, for example:
https://www.waddingtons.ca/auction/the-cabinet-of-curiosities-nov-01-2018/gallery/lot/216/
https://theprintshopwindow.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/old-q-snuff-box-c-1800/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16964/lot/224/
Here's the Wikipedia article about the Duke. It features the caricature on which the design is based:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Douglas,_4th_Duke_of_Queensberry
I suppose this could be a fake, but it seems pretty unlikely to me, and it closely resembles those other examples, right down to the hinges. I think you've got yourself a genuine find here - and a fascinating piece of history.
In spite of the fact there are reproductions of those snuff boxes, yours looks perfectly genuine. Parts are joined with soft tin based solder which makes fakes to be easily done. But again, every detail here looks genuine early 19th century.
I added some new pics. That pitting thru out seems questionable. Also if you look inside you see that copper like color. Just didn’t seem right. Thanks for posting that link. It does have some decent weight to it. I usually go for silver because it’s a lot easier to know if it’s fake or not. The brass ones get tough.