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ID #SA1188478
FOR SALE
£225
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Antique Coquilla Nut Snuff Box - Bugbear
Opus Antiques
for sale €263     $286
£225
Opus Antiques

Opus Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2014
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    Antique treen, boxes & decorative georgian items
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Antique Coquilla Nut Snuff Box - Bugbear

19th century
For Sale by Opus Antiques
Description

An early 1800s coquilla  bug bear snuff box . Well carved on both sides with a gentleman's head on both sides, with a hat, hair, carved face etc.

It measures 7.5cm l x 4.5cm w.

A bugbear was a folkloric creature, and the term became a playful label for grotesque or humorous carved figures. In treenware, bugbear snuff  boxes were usually:

Carved from coquilla nut or boxwood or other fine-grain hardwoods.

Depicting a grotesque or humorous face on one end

Hollowed inside and used to carry snuft (powdered tobacco).

Often detailed with elaborate  carvings like soldiers, animals, or floral designs

For postage costs outside of the UK please contact us.

Declaration

Opus Antiques has dated this Coquilla Nut Snuff Box to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1188478
Dealers Notes

Own a piece of history

Description
An early 1800s coquilla  bug bear snuff box . Well carved on both sides with a gentleman's head on both sides, with a hat, hair, carved face etc.

It measures 7.5cm l x 4.5cm w.

“
A bugbear was a folkloric creature, and the term became a playful label for grotesque or humorous carved figures.
Opus Antiques

In treenware, bugbear snuff  boxes were usually:

fig 1. A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge.
fig 1. Antique Coquilla Nut Snuff Box - Bugbear

Carved from coquilla nut or boxwood or other fine-grain hardwoods.

Depicting a grotesque or humorous face on one end

Hollowed inside and used to carry snuft (powdered tobacco).

Often detailed with elaborate  carvings like soldiers, animals, or floral designs

For postage costs outside of the UK please contact us.

Date of Manufacture

Opus Antiques has dated this Coquilla Nut Snuff Box to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1188478
Opus Antiques
Opus Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2014

Antique treen, boxes & decorative georgian items

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Opus Antiques Profile Page

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A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge.
1 / 9
Archive I A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge.

Antique Coquilla Nut Snuff Box - Bugbear

Archive II A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View II
Archive III A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View III
Archive IV A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View IV
Archive V A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View V
Archive VI A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View VI
Archive VII A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View VII
Archive VIII A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View VIII
Archive IX A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge. View IX
Enlarged Archival View
Opus Antiques

Opus Antiques
Telephone 07941 285 532
Location
North Devon
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/opusantiques
Verified Since Oct 2014
Items For Sale 93
Items Sold 2,372
Opus Antiques
Opus Antiques
Verified Since Oct 2014
View Dealer Info
Location: North Devon, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/opusantiques
Verified
Oct 2014
For Sale
93
Sold
2,372
A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge.
Antique Coquilla Nut Snuff Box - Bugbear
Ref: SA1188478
A small antique hand-carved coquilla nut snuff box shaped as a bugbear figure with detailed leaf engravings and a tiny metal hinge.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail

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FAQs

A bugbear coquilla nut snuff box is a small pocket container crafted from the extremely hard seed nut of the Brazilian Attalea funifera palm. Popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, these items were hand-carved with grotesque face motifs, foliage, or animal forms to store powdered tobacco.

These boxes were carved directly from dense coquilla nuts, prized for their ivory-like hardness and capability to hold fine carved detail. Small brass or steel flush hinges were inserted along with bone, glass, or ebony inlays to form decorative eyes or accents.

Authentic examples exhibit hand-carved tool marks, natural nut grain patterns, and hand-fitted metal hinges with slight variations. Over time, genuine pieces develop a deep, oily patina from hand handling, accompanied by natural micro-crazing in the dense organic structure.

Small decorative objects like coquilla nut boxes are best displayed inside glass cloches, open shadow boxes, or placed atop a stack of books on an office desk or bookshelf to serve as intriguing visual accents.

Coquilla nut objects should be kept in stable humidity and away from direct heat sources to prevent cracking. Dust gently with a soft dry brush and avoid liquid cleaners, applying a light application of natural microcrystalline wax if necessary to preserve the patina.
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