Mary Rose Snuff Box

An oak Snuff Box made from wood recovered from the Mary Rose.

A copper engraved plate to the top of the box notes 'Relic of MARY ROSE Sunk 1545 raised 1840'. The resting place of Henry VIII's ship was discovered by John Deane whilst investigating what was snaring the Portsmouth fishermen's nets. Although the ship was not raised at this date, as the plaque suggests, Deane did remove some oak timbers, part of the mast and some guns. These were sold at auction in November 1840.

There was great interest in the ship at the time and souvenirs made from recovered wood found interested customers amongst the monied classes. By 1843 it was thought that all that could be recovered had been and the wreck was abandoned until the ship was finally raised in 1982.

This Snuff Box is carved out of one piece of wood with the lid added separately. The lid is carved with a slightly protruding lip to the middle to allow it to be easily opened. To its underside, at the back, an overhanging bar is fixed with two nails. Two notches are cut to the back of the main body of the box to receive the overhanging bar which acts as the lid's hinge. Part of the wood cut to make the notches was then glued back in place on top of the bar. On one side this part has been lost and the overhanging bar is exposed. The inside of the lid has a paper label with the owner's name which may read 'F.C. Fordent' but the final two letters are difficult to read.

A similar snuff box but made out of six pieces of wood as opposed to two and with gilt writing instead of an inset copper plaque, is in the Mary Rose Museum collection. Circa 1840.