Snuffbox. Culture: French, Paris. Dimensions: Overall: 1 9/16 × 3 5/16 × 2 11/16 in. (4 × 8.4 × 6.8 cm). Maker: Jean Ducrollay (French, born 1709, master 1734, recorded 1760). Date: 1736-37.The basic design of snuffboxes was to a certain extent determined by their function. As the ritual of taking snuff required holding the box in one hand while taking a pinch of the powdered tobacco with the other, a snuffbox had to fit comfortably in the palm of one's hand. The use of a hinged lid on the box minimized any spillage, and the lid had to fit very snugly in order to keep the snuff dry. In addition, the box had to open to a precise angle that would permit easy access to the contents while allowing it to remain stable with the lid raised. The French gold-box makers became extremely skilled in the techniques of construction, as evidenced here, for example, in the visual absence of solder and the beautifully engineered hinges that were standard on most boxes of the eighteenth century.Jean D