The snuff box is a massive and beautiful circular box of silver-gilt elaborately engraved and bearing the inscription “Presented by Lord Shelburne to the Corporation of Calne 1854”.

The arms of the borough are engraved on the lid and were apparently cut at this time, but the box itself is much older.  It was made between 1696 and 1720 and measures 5½ inches in diameter and 3⅛ inches in height.