This is George III period, early Scottish Mauchline Ware snuff box, in the Handpainted (or Pen Work) Finish with a scene of cock fighting, & dating to around 1800 - 1820.

The box is made from Plane wood, & features a 'hidden hinge' & a tin lined interior.

The box has a hand painted decoration to all sides : the base & sides with a scrolling foliate & Thistle head design in black ink, and the lid of the box with a cock-fighting scene of two birds in a 'set too', bordered with a wriggle pattern & a scrolling foliate / Thistle head design.

The box is opened via a slightly protruding front lip, & hinges open to reveal a (now partial) tin lined interior. The 'hidden hinge', which Mauchline snuff boxes are famous for (they started the Mauchline Ware industry), are a series of interlocking grooves & knuckles held in place by a central brass rod, & 'hidden' from the outside.

Condition is Good for it's 200 odd years, with a perfect hinge. The finish is rubbed, particularly to the base, & the tin plated interior is extremely worn. There is a light hairline to one edge, although this is very difficult to see & in no way affects the structure or integrity of the box.

The box measures approx 3 1/8" long, 2" wide, & 7/8" deep (approx 8cm, 5.1cm, & 2.3cm).

Scottish Handpainted snuff boxes were made between c.1790 & 1850. The cock fighting design & rather simple artwork would place this box as being a very early example (by the 1820's, the most commonly found penwork illustrations on snuff boxes related to Robert Burns).

Overall, a nice Georgian, early Mauchline Ware hand painted snuff box, in good condition.