Rev. War Era Brass Tobacco Box

Revolutionary War Era Brass Tobacco Box
18th Century Revolutionary War Era Brass Tobacco Box, Choice Very Fine.
4.75" long and 1.25" wide at the middle, this grayish-olive colored brass tobacco box is of the desirable smaller size that would have been carried as a personal container. Most likely a silver-plating finish to the brass metal base, which accounts for its grayish surface. Either Dutch or German manufactured, and composed of hinged lid and bottom, sharing a similar design of embossed ribs encircled by dots. Decoration was accomplished by hand-tooling, and with a hand-made die. The box resembles an early iron spectacle case but is smaller. Neumann illustrates similar boxes in his "Early American Country Furnishings," and is correct for the time and use by colonial soldiers. This example has a name: "N.C. Wiede" lightly engraved on the side. Condition is very fine with a good patina of period wear, old polishing, and genuine age to all surfaces. There is an ancient minute tear to the metal opposite the hinge, and right at the point where the thumb would have opened the lid. Interior has crude soldering, but nice aged quality overall. Superb, and quite desirable.