The snuff box, popularized during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, has a rich and artful history and these relics of culture are some of the most beautifully functional works of art to arise from man’s bad habits. The practice of taking snuff or, finely powdered tobacco, was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus who upon arriving in the Americas first witnessed Native inhabitants sniffing the substance. Upon returning to Spain, the habit was immediately frowned upon and was considered taboo until it became popular and fashionable among aristocrats and the vogue of France and Spain. Shortly thereafter, snuff was brought to England where Queens Anne and Charlotte loved snuff to such a degree that it became increasingly popular amongst the court. As more of the aristocracy took to the practice, it became necessary that there was also a fashionable and functional means to carry the snuff and so, the snuff box was born.

A very rare Faberge snuff box

The height of popularity for snuff was in the eighteenth century when it was introduced to the common man by sailors who captured a Spanish convoy in 1702, and were given the snuff on board as payment. It is from this time in history that some of the most beautiful antique snuff boxes can be found. The boxes were fashioned in every material imaginable with some of the most common being gold, silver, copper, brass, animal horn, tortoise shell, and wood. The vast majority of valuable antique snuff boxes are to be found in museums however, there are still a sizeable number owned by less notable persons in history in circulation on today’s antiques market. Depending upon the material they are made of, where they originated, and the ornate qualities of the box, antique snuff boxes can range from a hundred to a few hundred-thousand dollars in value.

A Silver Snuff Box

The early twentieth century saw the decline in snuff as the most prevalent form of tobacco use. The snuff boxes of days passed are usually acquired as collector’s items, rather than to be utilized. The most collectible snuff boxes are certainly those that were belonging to the personal collections of notable persons such as Prince Regent, who was known for having twelve different boxes for twelve different blends of snuff he used each day. Porcelain boxes are also highly collectible as most have not survived the test of time. Collectible snuff boxes vary in assortment but common collections include boxes with painted, typical eighteenth century subjects, those decorated with precious gems, boxes displaying family crests, and the common man’s snuff boxes which were often decorated with a silver coin to indicate the date of manufacture. Since snuff boxes were considered valuable gifts, many were fashioned into functional jewelry. Additionally, there are many collectors of snuff boxes known as ‘mulls’ which were large, communal snuff boxes usually set on the dining table for guests after stately dinner parties.

Due to the rise in smoking bans, particularly in the United States, snuff is making a quiet comeback as an increasingly common form of smokeless tobacco use. Many improvements to the process have been added as a bonus in the form of what are known as ‘bullets’, small, thumb-sized devices built for discreet snuffing. The snuff bullet is packed with material and at the turn of a dial, snuff is released by tapping a single dose onto the wrist or hand, or brought directly into the nostril. A snuff bullet can be bought in an extraordinarily diverse array of colors, sizes, and shapes and like the snuff boxes of the eighteenth century, come in a variety of scents. Online retailer Amazon sells various snuff bullets in both aluminum and plastic, which a great for using snuff while on the go.

Although acrylic and metal snuff bullets may have surpassed snuff boxes in terms of ease of use, boxes are still made today and are readily available for purchase. Modern snuff boxes appear much like their predecessors but much less ornate in design and slightly more serviceable, thanks to modern technology. Many modern equivalents of snuff equipment are still sold and manufactured today including the snuff bottle (which is quite collectible) and spoon, traditionally the Chinese preferred method of snuff intake. Snuff mills, small, manual tobacco grinding machines, are also still utilized for making fresh snuff at home from purchased whole tobacco. A new modern device is the snuffing machine – more of a party trick device than an efficient means of consuming snuff – which is made of clear plastic and is comprised of several chambers filled with the desired dosage of snuff, then brought to the nostrils for a showy snort.

Snuff’s humble beginnings, opulent popularization, and modern reappearance have all been a source of inspiration for beautiful works of art and machine to contain the stuff for centuries. Since its worldwide popularization in the eighteenth century, snuff will always hold a place in culture and history.