An antique snuff box made from papier-mâché with a hand painted illustration of a patient suffering the use of Perkins Tractors at the hands of his physician.

This is a based on the humorous 1801 print “Metallic Tractors” by James Gillray, celebrated English illustrator and satirist of the time. The tractors were peddled as a panacea by their inventor Elisha Perkins and despite their ineffectiveness, were very fashionable throughout Europe and America in the early 1800s. The artist has not tried to make an exact copy, but has in his or her own style faithfully reproduced the components in Gillray’s scene with the table, brandy bottle, steaming punch jug, pipe and newspaper, down the to attentive, sympathetic dog in the corner. In excellent condition for its 200 years.

Internal link: Perkins Tractors

External link: Metallic Tractors print

• From the Phisick collection