Accession No
6096
Brief Description
wooden phrenological snuff box, French, early to mid-19th Century
Origin
France
Maker
Class
physiology
Earliest Date
1813
Latest Date
1850
Inscription Date
Material
wood (maple); paper (print); organic (tortoise shell)
Dimensions
circular: 8cm diameter
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Christie’s, South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, London, SW7 3LD, London, on 12/07/2006. Sale of Scientific, Medical and Engineering Works of Art. Typed note which came with box suggests that it belonged to either the Shaw or Henderson family.
Inscription
Cover: CRANOLOGIE DU DOCTEUR GALL; Underside: SYSTEME DES ORGANES CEREBREUX DU DOCTEUR GALL and listings of 27 emotions under heading ‘DISPOSITIONS A’; inscription on print paper in box: ‘Snuff-box from either Shaw or Henderson family. Dr. Theodore Gall of Antwerp and Paris, Phrenologist flourished about A.D. 1798-1813’
Description Notes
wooden snuff box; Early 19th-Century; French
An early 19th Century French pressed burr maple snuff box, cover and underside. The cover depicts three phrenology skulls divided into sections and numbered with an inscription around the side of the box. The underside lists 27 emotions relating to each section of the skull as depicted on the cover. Inside has tortoiseshell lining and contains later paper with typed notes on the provenance.
Complete
References
Events
Description
This snuff box is one of the many items of memorabilia manufactured that focus on phrenology. Phrenology was Dr. Franz Gall’s belief that it is possible to distinguish someone’s character by ‘reading’ the bumps on their head. Phrenology could supposedly tell anything from how religious someone is to how likely he or she is to become a murderer. The lid shows 3 numbered phrenological skulls, which have labels on the bottom of the box. Other phrenological memorabilia included inkwells, cane handles, callipers, charts and books.
Created by: Rosanna Evans, work experience student
FM:46566
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