Antique Portable Snuff Cutter

A mahogany, brass and steel portable Snuff Cutter or Guillotine retailed by Fred Hammond of Dublin.

The heavy blade, stamped Warranted Cast Steel, folds like a penknife into its brass handle. Of note is that the handle doesn't fold over the blade's edge as you would expect but over the back of the blade. If it folded over the edge it would mean that it could also do so when in use. The tip of the blade has a riveted brass screw fitting that fits to the mahogany board. The rivet allows the blade to be lifted and dropped to the box top, which acts as a chopping board. The top slides off the box to pack the blade inside with the edge fitting into a recess. The box interior also has the label which notes Fred W. Hammond, Late of Lundy Foot & Co.'s, Importer of Foreign Cigars, Snuffs and Tobaccoes, Meerschaum and Briar Root Pipes, Snuff Boxes, Tobacco Pouches, Cigar Holders, Amber Mounts, &c. 25 Westmoreland-street, Dublin, Lamkin's Cork Snuff. Hammond, like other past employees sought to make the most of his connection to the famous Lundy Foot & Company, whose reputation in Ireland was as strong as that of Guinness. Hammond are listed in the Dublin Trade Directories of the mid 1860s and 1870s.

This is an unusual portable tool and without the label you might guess as to its use. Circa 1865.
Packed Size is Given.