Charles Truman obituary

My friend and colleague Charles Truman, who has died aged 67, was an eminent historian of the decorative arts. His work on gold boxes, most of them designed to hold snuff, showed that they were not merely rich men’s toys, but among the most remarkable achievements of 18th-century craftsmanship.He was born at Stratton Audley, Oxfordshire, to Kenneth Truman, a solicitor, and his wife Dorothy (nee Harris). Charlie, as he was affectionately known, chose the art world in which to forge a career