An extremely rare Mennecy small sized Patch Box or Lady’s Snuff Box, modelled as a seated Chinaman, wearing a hat and long sleeved garment, the hinged silver mounts enclosing a circular cover moulded in crisp low relief with stylised flowers.

Whereas smoking was seen as the habit of the working classes, snuff taking was purely the preserve of the Aristocracy. Snuff was scented with a wide variety of single or complex aromas and flavours, which could include flowers like jasmine, frangipane or musk roses. Heavier scents used musk or ambergris. Taking a pinch of snuff developed into a graceful art and snuffboxes became the latest luxurious accessory. They could be made from hardstones such as onyx or jade or studded with gems, formed from lacquer, tortoise shell or porcelain. Wearing an exquisite snuffbox became the ultimate symbol of fashion and elegance of the age.