“Although the above explanations of SP have the merit of ingenuity, the letters in fact derive from Latin, and stand for “sed paulatim” …” A scholarly explanation to be sure although Senatus Populus is more likely, indicative that the snuff was also popular with government and people outside Rome (sans QR).
‘Richt’ is ‘Right’, ie the right kind. Personal blends were invariably known as ‘sorts’, coming back to the comment made by petersuki.
After a great deal of research I think I’ve stumbled upon definitive proof that ‘SP’ equals Spanish Prize. I have found in “The Statutes at Large: From the Twentieth Year of the Reign of King George the Third to the Twenty-fifth Year of the Reign of King George the Third , inclusive. MDCCLXXXVI (1776).” That King George in regulating the import of snuff called it “Spanish Prize” and I quote. “Cap. XXI ……and regulating the importation of foreign snuff into this Kingdom; and for preventing the importation and running of foreign Spirituos Liquors, Tea and other prohibited goods, into this kingdom, in veffels (vessels) fitted out and armed as Privateers (Pirates). Whereas by an act of Parliament, made in the twentieth Year of the Reign of his prefent (present) Majefty (Majesty), intituled, An Act for extending the Provifions (Provisions) of two acts, made in the eighteenth Year of his prefent (present) Majefty’s (Majesty’s) Reign, and in the seffion (Session) of Parliament, with refpect (respect) to bringing Prize Goods into this Kingdom, to Spanish Prize Goods; and for repealing so much of the ast-mentioned Act as relates to the Certificates for Prize Tea and East India goods exported from this Kingdom to Ireland” In short all goods seized by ‘Privateers’ were to be hence fourth referred to as “Spanish Prize” Goods. Spanish snuff was called “Spanish Prize” and all other goods were to be known as “Prize Goods”.
I got a Spanish prize once. It took 4 weeks of ointment to make it go away. =(
@theratroom - Probably more like f.o.b.: Spain. f.o.b. = free on board or “free shipping as far as.”
@howdydave I may be a little slow but I don’t get the joke.
No joke… If you ever took any accounting or are in shipping you would know all about who pays for shipping. “FOB” is standard terminology in the USA. The International TLAs (3 letter acronyms) are: FCA, CPT and DDU. Well… the joke is that I’m the only one here being perfectly serious! (Just another example of my dry humor.)
@howdydave It did make me giggle that someone was looking for a punchline in your explanation. I have a degree in accounting and you’re dead on. FOB is about the only term ever used here in the US. In fact, if you watch the original Steamboat Willie cartoon (on YouTube I’m sure) the cow that they load on the boat has an F.O.B. tag on. Ahh…the small things I find joy in…
@Dogwalla – Who says that accountants don’t have a sense of humor? They just don’t appreciate all of our dedits and cribits!
@howdydave I have WAY too much personality to be an accountant. That’s why I’m in Marketing now 
I remember when I overheard two accountants laughing about a new hire they had. He had apparently credited an account instead of setting up an contra-asset, and they thought that was the funniest thing on the planet. It was like a redneck watching Jeff Foxworthy. None for me thanks.
Me too… It was just numbers (too dry,) so I went into software systems instead. Since there was absolutely NO software documentation, I ended up as a technical writer. Hence all of my plays on words, most of which go unappreciated (or misinterpreted.)
@howdydave sorry about that its just that mine was a bit of a joke. Just take the first letters of ship high in transit and you will get what I was getting at.
@Toque - I think you have it, good job!
“In short all goods seized by ‘Privateers’ were to be hence fourth referred to as “Spanish Prize” Goods. Spanish snuff was called “Spanish Prize” and all other goods were to be known as “Prize Goods””. Nice try, Roderick, but where does the text of 1786 actually say that looted snuff is specifically Spanish Prize or that Spanish Prize is specifically looted snuff? Spanish Prize is mentioned in English legislation referring to Prize Law long before snuff came into vogue. Goods and money looted from authorised privateers were deemed Prizes and their disposition subject to Prize Law including tax. Spanish Prize might include snuff, but also included plenty of other commodities as well. The text distinguishes between IMPORTATION of snuff and other goods such as liquor seized by privateers and is dealt with under separate clauses. Investigating further - the acts referred to in the text as passed in the “eighteenth Year of his present Majesty’s Reign” refers to declaration of war by France (1778) and Spain (1779) upon Britain and British authorisation of state approved piracy. Looking at the earlier Statute at Large “Spanish Prize” is defined simply as ships, vessels, and goods, belonging to the King of Spain with no mention of snuff. “Seven hundred and seventy-nine, was pleased to order that general Reprizals be granted against 'the Ships, Goods, and Subjects of the King of Spain; and that, as well all his Majesty’s Fleets and 'Ships, as also all other Ships and Vessels that shall be commissioned by Letters of Marque or General Reprizals, or otherwise, by the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great 'Britain, shall and may lawfully seize all Ships, Vessels, and Goods, belonging to the King of Spain.” Leaving aside the meaning of S.P for a moment the question remains as to when the snuff appellation was first used. There are many references to Hardham’s, Princes, Lundy, Scotch and Kendal Brown in 19th century texts but no mention of S.P, which is curious. This suggests that S.P, sold under that label, was a provincial snuff, unknown outside Sheffield and its environs until the early 20th century. Searching the National Archives online there is, however, a business letter dated 21 November 1840 to J&H Wilsons in which a certain E. Stanley, Hulme orders S.P. Scotch and Princess and Morton’s Mixture. This is the earliest reference to S.P snuff I’ve ever come across and, as expected, is linked to Sheffield. The archives also reveal that Illingworth’s Snuffs Ltd. paid J&H Wilsons commission from 1932 for sales of ‘Best S.P’ made according to a formula devised by Mr. Harland (whoever he may have been). This supports the widely held opinion that S.P is a Sheffield snuff - as native to that grey town as its celebrated steel - and made by other manufacturers elsewhere under license. The debate goes on …
Well, you guys go ahead and debate, but the next time a new snuff user asks me what SP stands for, I’ll probably just give the old disclaimer of, “no one’s really sure, BUT…” and then point them to Rod’s evidence. It sounds reasonable and after all, in a debate, it very rarely ever falls to hard facts (since there aren’t any), but simply the most compelling credible evidence. And besides, it makes my brain hurt… :^)
I’m just going to tell people it means ‘Smells Purdy’ and blame it on Pensyltucky, my favorite fictitious state. If they backsass me, I’ll pound them through a knothole. Amen.
Sorry this passage is so long but, it makes fascinating reading. The crucial wording is in the second last sentence. The Port St. Mary and Vigo plunder show to what an enormous extent snuff was used in Spain, probably with France sharing. The fleet having returned to England, the officers and men set about selling their snuff, of which they had a weight approximating 100 tons. They called it Vigo Snuff or Vigo Prize Snuff, the word " prize " indicating that it had been captured by our ships. This greatly appealed to English admirers of the venturous. There was scarcely a town in England which these excellent snuffs, divorced from their buffalo skins, did not reach. The great impetus given to snuff-taking by these " prizes " established it as firmly in England as it was on the Continent. It has been said that snuff-taking really began on the grand scale in the reign of Queen Anne. One of the reasons for this clearly emerges from the foregoing story; Queen Anne’s accession and the Vigo exploits both occurred in 1702. We have no means of knowing just how the Vigo snuff was treated when it reached this country or to whom the officers and men sold their share. It seems likely that much of it was taken by blenders and ultimately mixed and per- fumed so that all tastes were in the end suited. At this point, snuff’s history seems to divide itself, so we will take a couple of pinches ourselves, and start a new chapter on the elegant age of snuff. CHAPTER II The Elegant Age " Who takes thee not? Where’er I range I smell they sweets Jrom Pall Mu/l to the 'Change•." JAMCS BOSWL°LL, 1740. B Y 1702, when Queen Anne came to the Throne, smoking had had more than a century of supremacy. It had successfully kept snuff largely within the conlines of the elite, and, until that year, there was nothing to indicate that things would change very much. Then came the avalanche of Vigo and Port St. Mary snuff described in our last chapter. A writer of the period said there was a positive haze of snuff over Plymouth when Admiral Rooke’s ships were unloading, and that " there was much sneezing among the people." In approaching the second period of snuff’s history, we have to view it on two planes-the high and the low, the patrician and the plebeian. There is not a great deal to be said about the latter. It provided no fabulously elegant snuff-boxes, and inspired no poets, with the possible exception of Rabbie Burns. Snuff did, however, find its way into industries where smoking was forbidden, now that its price was within reach of the workers. Among the trades which took up snuff were printing and tailoring, and snuff-taking still persists in them. Other industries followed suit for no obvious reason except that the workers liked snuff, found it cheaper than tobacco, and easier to use at work. Rapidly the habit spread far and wide. Obviously the immense stocks of Spanish " prize " snuff could not last indefinitely, although many merchants who bought it from the sailors locked it up and released it piece- meal when they deemed it profitable. Meanwhile it was clear that a new and enormous trade had arisen. Our imports of tobacco leaf grew accordingly, just as snuff-mills were to multiply and increase in size.
“That history also refers to the older snuffs having been made from unadulterated tobaccos, so presumably a bergamot-scented snuff in the 18th century would have been sufficiently unusual to be notable.” Vathek - Perhaps, although the earliest reference to bergamot (burgamet ) snuff, according to ‘The Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities : 1550-1820‘, is dated 1706. The same source also describes Spanish snuff, which was sold simply as Spanish. The feature of Spanish snuff was that (unlike Scotch) it contained no stalk, and was not rappee (meaning fermented as opposed to simply coarse). The description is PLAIN - i.e unscented. Some 18th century snuffs were scented (as well as unscented) as evidenced by Charles Lille in “The British Perfumer” - a fascinating contemporary read of a bygone snuff age. S.P is not mentioned anywhere in the text. ****************************************** Now, to throw a large spanner in the S.P works - In the ‘Directory of London and Westminster, & Borough of Southwark1794’ a tobacconist shop Sales & Pollard, Tobacconists, 72, Aldersgate-street is listed. Research proves that they set up shop back in 1750 and were snuff manufacturers. Now, this confuses ’The Great Question’ further as it is claimed in “Tobacco Whiffs for the Smoking Carriage” of 1874 that S.P snuff is named after Sales & Pollard before they were renamed Sales, Pollard & Lloyd, moving to Farringdon Street in 1871 - “Among the specialities manufactured by the firm, so often mentioned in this chapter, is the " SP" Scotch snuff, originally manufactured when the house was known only as Sales & Pollard, the initial letters of which names were used …” Frustratingly I’ll have to buy the book as the damned site won’t allow me to read more. But there, in black and white, is the (possible) answer to snuff’s greatest conundrum. S.P = Sales & Pollard IF they were selling their snuff as early as 1750 then this is prior to the time Wilson’s claim they were making S.P. The question remains: When did Wilson’s of Sharrow start manufacturing snuff sold as S.P? If S.P was manufactured under that name by Sharrow prior to 1750 then the Sales & Pollard claim can be discounted. Not sure how much benefit would accrue from getting accreditation and visiting the archives held in Sheffield as snuff records are limited to J&H Wilsons and only go back as far as 1833. The records really worth viewing are those of Wilsons of Sharrow, which are private. I’ll see what I can do.
Unfortunately the author (C.W Shepherd in Snuff: Yesterday and Today) only refers to “Spanish " prize " snuff” in the context of the Vigo raid. Association with snuff manufactured as S.P by the reader is convenient, possibly real, but still only questionable inference, and not hard fact.
See this 19th century advertisement: " The initials of the firm (Sales & Pollard) have been adopted as the name of a very popular Snuff, thereby proving the high repute of the house as Snuff Makers" http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/evanion/FullImage.aspx?EvanID=024-000004382&ImageId=52011