| Title | Snuffbox |
| Artist/Maker | Tiffany and Co. |
| Date | 1881 |
| Medium | Silver |
| Dimensions | h. 0.88 x w. 3.5 x d. 2.25 in. (h. 2.2 x w. 8.9 x d. 5.7 cm) |
| Credit Line | U.S. Senate Collection |
| Accession Number | 57.00012.000 |
The Senate presented this silver snuffbox to Assistant Doorkeeper Isaac Bassett on December 5, 1881, to celebrate Bassett's 50 years of service to the institution. An inscription on the lid notes that the gift was presented to Bassett "in recognition of his personal worth and official fidelity."
Made by Tiffany and Company, the snuffbox features decorative floral bands along the sides with gold wash applied to the relief to accentuate the organic, flowing curves of the design. The sinuous lines of the inscription text and the floral decoration are characteristic of the fashionable art nouveau style that became popular in the United States during this period. The snuffbox was presented in a brown leather presentation box with a dark-green velvet lining.
