A RARE SILVER SNUFF BOX IN THE FORM OF THE HEAD OF A DRUID

A RARE SILVER SNUFF BOX IN THE FORM OF THE HEAD OF A DRUID, EARLY 19TH C the underside engraved with the motto NIS GWYR NAMYN DIWYD DDERWYDDON (Only faithful Druids know), 7.2cm h, maker's mark only, RG, a pellet between, 2ozs 15dwtsThis extraordinary and possibly unique snuff box, and the medal in the following lot are believed to have belonged to Holland Griffith (1756-1839) of Carreglwyd and Plas Berw, Anglesey, an Arch Druid of the Anglesey Druidical Society. The principal sources for 18th century Romantic druidical iconography are the engravings of the Chief Druid from Henry Rowland's Mona Antiqua Restaurata, William Stukeley's Druid in Stonehenge, a Temple Restor'd to the British Druids (1740) and Thomas Jones' dramatic picture 'The Bard; The Birmingham engraver J G Hancock was responsible for the Druid's head on the famous copper token of the Parys Mines Co, Anglesey, but whether this fine box was also made at Birmingham is not known.