Friday, January 20, 2012

Gifts of Grandeur: The Punch Tobacco Box, 1880

The Victoria & Albert Museum


It makes sense that Punch would adorn a tobacco box. Many smoking-related items featured Mr. Punch. What I find rather queer is the fact that the lid of this German porcelain and enamel tobacco box depicts a child in a pram. I don’t tend to associate children with smoking. But, maybe that’s just me. Nevertheless, the little girl is a continuation of the theme of cherubic little ladies holding figures of Mr. Punch—symbols of both the angelic and the impish.

This box was made in Pössneck, Germany, ca. 1880 by the manufacturers of Conta and Boehme.

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