How do I clean a brass tobacco box?

Leave the heavy tarnish alone. The dark grey or brown skin on old brass forms over decades and collectors look for this untouched surface. Just wipe the metal with a dry cotton cloth to remove loose dust. If the hinges are stiff, apply a single drop of light machine oil to the pin and work it gently.

My grandfather left me a wooden table box that has a heavy metal lining inside, should I try to polish the metal to make it look nicer?

That dull grey metal is lead. Box makers used it to create a stable microclimate for loose leaf. Do not try to polish it. Lead oxidises to that flat grey colour naturally. Rubbing it will just spread toxic dust and ruin the historical integrity of the piece. Leave it exactly as you found it. Keep the lid shut to preserve the internal lining from further atmospheric wear.

What is the tamper for?

Some larger table sets include a small blunt metal tool. Smokers used it to pack the loose leaf down into the pipe bowl. You often find them built into the lid or slotted into a side compartment alongside the main storage area.

I picked up a small oval copper box and it has some very worn dates and strange dials engraved on the top, what are they?

Those are likely navigation tables or perpetual calendars. Dutch sailors relied on these specific boxes during the eighteenth century to calculate tides and moon phases at sea. Heavy wear is standard. These lived in working pockets and saw daily handling in harsh saltwater conditions. You can sometimes trace the specific almanac used for the design. The dates usually commemorate the year the original brass stamp was cut rather than the year your specific box was made.

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Antique Tobacco Boxes from the 19th Century

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Small, lidded containers designed to keep loose leaf and twist tobacco fresh for daily use, ranging from simple pocket-sized brass tins to heavy lead-lined table boxes.