Mother of pearl and tortoiseshell tobacco box, Dutch 18th century

A carved mother of pearl and tortoiseshell tobacco box with gilt metal mounts.

Dutch, 18th century.

Measures 11.9 x 6.3 x 3.8cm.

The mother of pearl lid is carved in relief with an amusingly odd and somewhat erotic subject of a barely clothed woman in a bedroom scene, below the scene is the inscription: ‘The flea stings so hard that I can’t sleep. If I had my flea whip with me, I would have been happy to give it to my virgin, Rosie, because I thought the fleas were stinging me so badly. But I couldn’t sleep because I had my fleas.’