A 19TH-century snuff box owned by Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile on a remote Atlantic island is up for sale by a Jersey dealer.
Paul Fraser Collectibles, which is based in Bath Street and deals in rare items, is offering the artefact for £45,000.
The snuff box was used by the former French emperor to store finely ground tobacco between 1815 and 1821 while he was imprisoned on St Helena in the South Atlantic following his defeat at Waterloo.
The lacquered box measures 5.5cm x 3cm x 2cm and features a chequerboard pattern on the lid. It has been preserved in its original condition, with signs of frequent use visible on its surface.
“Napoleon snorted snuff like a 1970s rock star,” said Daniel Wade, of Paul Fraser Collectibles. “He was never without his snuff box – he loved the stuff.”
The box was given to a British lieutenant by Napoleon’s female attendant just three days after Napoleon’s death in May 1821. An inscription inside the box documents this transfer of ownership, and the item comes with documentation tracing its ownership over the past two centuries.
The snuff box has been described as an “extremely tactile object” that offers a tangible connection to one of history’s most famous figures.
Other Napoleon memorabilia has sold for significant sums, according to the dealer, including his nightshirt for $109,000 in May 2021, his travelling coat rack set for $168,000 in November 2023, and his miniature spyglass for $57,500 in April 2024.
Those interested can visit the Paul Fraser Collectibles website.
