The practice of taking snuff became popular in England in the late seventeenth century. It was somewhat earlier in France but also Scotland, due to Scotland’s relations in The French Court.
For many years, the sign that was used to indicate a shop that sold cigarettes was one of the Scottish Highlanders in full kilt, cut into wood. The logo was created to be similar to the Indian signs for cigar stores in North America.
It is believed that the practice of smoking snuff first began from Central as well as South America before the advent of the Spaniards. It is believed to be the ones who first brought the habit to Europe.
Louis XIII of France forbade the use of snuff except as prescribed by physicians. The time was when they believed, as a lot of people still believe, that snuff helps keep one from colds and eases the symptoms of catarrh and other similar ailments.
It was Pope Urban XIII ordered that anyone that is found guilty of taking the snuff at church must be banned from the church.
The Tsar Michael I of Russia decreed that smokers should be whipped in the first instance and executed after the second. Snuff smokers were to be treated less harshly. They were simply to have their noses cut off!
SP snuff is possibly the world’s most widely-taken blend. It was named following a naval battle off the shores of the Spanish port of Vigo, in 1702. The French fleet there was protecting a large Spanish convoy of galleons. It had left to the West Indies following an attack that was carried out by a joint English and Dutch fleet. It was under the control of Admiral Sir George Rooke.
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One ship, the Torbay – under the command of Vice-Admiral Hobson the Vice-Admiral Hobson – was becalmed, and trapped in a compromising location. A chronicler from the present writes:
“All this time, Admiral Hobson was at risk because he was pinned onto the board by the French Fireship which caused his rigging was in flames, he expected every moment to be burnt, but it was a great relief that French Ship, which was a merchantman loaded with snuff, and fitted to be the role of a Fireship before being blown up with snuff. The snuff helped to put out the flame, and saved the English Man of War from being consumed.”
The war, for which Hobson received a knighthood as well as pension of PS500, was largely responsible for the emergence of the popular style of snuff-taking in England. The snuff that was taken from the Spanish galleons included a large amount of snuff that was later traded in London.
As ‘Spanish’ by the clerks, they later abbreviated this to ‘SP’, making it the most popular blend of all.
The 18th century was the time when snuff-taking was widespread throughout the globe. Snuff boxes, usually highly embellished, were often worn as jewellery and given as gifts of high value. The lids of these boxes were often decorated with miniature subjects from the time, such as allegories, pastoral romantic scenes and flowers.
They are considered as prized examples of the most exquisite miniature paintings by miniature painters, enamellers, jewellers and silversmiths.