Snuff horn, with Cairngorm Quartz mounted in lid

From the 17th to early 20th century snuff, a form of ground tobacco, was commonly used in Scotland, similar to how people smoked tobacco in the 20th century.

In the 18th century people carried small snuff boxes, but such was demand for snuff, larger vessels called snuff mulls were manufactured for use in the home.

These were often made from rams' horns, as this material kept the snuff dry. They were often decorative pieces made to place on a table to impress guests.

If this snuff horn did to belong to Robert Burns it would have been likely this was a snuff horn reserved for special occasions, due to its jewel mounting and highly carved design.

Cairngorm quartz is particular type of smoky quartz found exclusively in the Cairngorm mountain range, it is alternatively known as 'Cairngorm stone' or simply 'Cairngorm'.. It is typically of a very dark colour and rarely found, thus more desirable and expensive and was particularly popular during the Victorian age.