Magnificent and substantial 19th century Scottish burlwood table snuff box with hinged lid featuring a pen-work depiction of the harrowing and frantic scene from the Robbie Burns poem Tam O' Shanter. The scene shows tipsy Tam peering through the window on the left as the witches dance with their brooms in front of the fire, a body roasting over the flames in the background as the devil plays the bagpipes while perched on the windowsill at the right. There are snakes on the floor and coffins filled with the dead align the walls -- at the center of it all is a witch prancing in a short white nightdress, as Tam shouts "Weel done, Cutty-sark!"
This outer sides of the snuff box are profusely decorated in pen-work with a thistle motif all-around. The bottom of the box is knobbly burl. The 5" x 3" x 2.5" box has survived in exceptionally good condition and appears larger than the dimensions suggest.
