Tobacco Box 1800 - 1830

This silver tobacco box was created by Garret Forbes, a New York silversmith active in the first half of the 19th century. Snuff boxes like this were more than just functional objects; they were emblems of wealth, status, and participation in a global economy deeply entangled with colonialism and enslavement. Tobacco, a luxury good, often bore the imprint of exploited labor. The box's very existence speaks to the profound inequalities of the time. Reflect on the hands that may have cultivated, processed, and transported the tobacco it once held, often under duress. The box serves as a reminder of the complex layers of history embedded in everyday objects.