French Antique Snuffbox La Biennoise

This handsome antique French snuffbox (tabatière) is made of acajou {the French word for mahogany} wood trimmed with zinc {called 'zinc d'art' by the French} and dates from the 19th century. The lid of the box is decorated with a mounted cutout of the traditional sunburst style of the religious vessel called a monstrance, topped with a cross. The edge of the lid is stamped with the trademark name "La Biennoise," meaning "The Viennese." The term "Biennoise" refers to an object in a style associated with the Swiss/French city of Bienne. Stamped below that is the French word "Déposée" which means that the trademark and/or design is officially registered with a French government office, preventing others from using it.

The snuff box measures 3 1/4 inches long, 1 3/4 inches front to back, 1/2 inch deep at the sides and weighs a mere 1 1/2 ounces. It's in excellent condition, clean and unmarred, with the hinge working perfectly and the lid still fitting snugly and very little wear...almost as if it sat for many years sheltered in a drawer rather than carried in the pocket of a French dandy.

Notes on the materials used for this antique box: Acajou D'Afrique, a rare and precious wood that is often mistakenly labeled "rosewood" in snuffboxes of this type, and zinc, which was extensively used in antique French items, especially from the 18th and 19th centuries, prized for its rust resistance, lightness, and attractive aged patina (and often misidentified as silver, silver plate or pewter).

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