Corozo Nut Snuffbox, Napoleonic Period - France - Early 19th Century

Rare, finely carved corozo nut snuffbox, dating from the Napoleonic period, circa 1800. The object adopts the original form of a grotesque head or mascaron, with expressive modeling, whose open mouth constitutes the orifice for taking tobacco. The face, with its deep-set eyes and accentuated features, bears witness to popular workmanship of great decorative strength.

The rim and sides are richly decorated with relief motifs, including medallion profiles evoking antique-style figures, coiffed in the classical manner, surrounded by foliage, foliage and stylized elements. These decorations are in keeping with the neoclassical taste in vogue in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The lower part features a radiating motif carved into a rosette. The whole offers a beautiful warm brown patina, characteristic of ancient corozo, with traces of use consistent with its age.

Singular object, at the crossroads of folk art and antique inspiration, illustrating the craftsmanship of turn-of-the-19th-century artisans.