Wooden snuff box with an relief of three Jewish hareskin dealers carved on the lid. Snuffboxes were used to store smokeless tobacco,
The use of snuff became popular in Europe during the 18th century. Snuffboxes were made in a variety of shapes and sizes. Smaller snuffboxes were carried by individuals, and large boxes were set on tables or other furniture and remained stationary. The boxes were made from several different materials, including wood, metal, ivory, and animal horns. They were often ornately decorated with jewels, precious metals, paintings or carvings. The image on the snuffbox depicts the Jewish hareskin dealers with stereotypically hooked noses, hooded eyes, beards, and pointed teeth. The scene, possibly based on a Dutch folktale about three Jewish hareskin dealers who swindle a miserly farmer, can be traced back to the lithographic printing firm of Johan Martin Billroth, which opened in 1829 in Groningen, Netherlands. This image was popular in northern Europe in the early 19th century and was reproduced in various mediums.
Great condition
8.5cm L., x 6.2cm W
Such a box is in the collections of the Jewish Museum of London.
See also: The Jew in Antisemitic Art, the Peter Ehrenthal collection, published by the Wolfson Museum and the Museum of Jewish Art, Heichal Shlomo, 2011. Item 39.
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