Description

Japanned round tin with gold stencil reading “TOBACCO” and twisted tobacco design around the outside of the lid. Font is a documented CW era text, and together with the design taken from an original piece in our inventory. Measures about 3″ across and a bit over and 1″ tall. Friction lid with rolled lip. Tins like this are documented as being used for all manner of items during the period from watch parts and musket caps to bar soap and tobacco products. Here is just the ticket to keep that pipe tobacco handy and relatively fresh. The tin is japanned utilizing an original period method and the stencil is powder coated in gold also utilizing a late 18th c. to mid 19th c. method. Just like the originals, the japanning does scratch and wear and so does the powder coat, although we have put a sealer over it so it does not wear quite as quickly as they did. As in original japanned tin items, there are anomalies and “holidays” in the surface varnish where it is unevenly brushed on or “popped’ when being baked on. The gold powder stencil, an adhesive and powder sifting process, is not always uniform or so sharply defined and some “spray” does occur. The result is an quite authentic piece but not always “perfect” by 21st c. uniformity standards.