I’ve read a lot of snuff books, and they mainly seem to concentrate on the choices of snuff used by the wealthy. This is understandable, because the expensive snuffs are simply more exotic and interesting, but it’s a pity that the inexpensive types are pretty much glossed over. As we know, snuff use was ubiquitous a couple of hundred years ago, used by king and pauper alike. All I’ve really read about the less glamorous snuffs is that there was once a large surplus of captured SP on the market, and that cheaper snuffs were often heavily adulterated. What types of snuff did the common folk fill their papier mache boxes with?

Likely they consumed the heavily bastardized snuffs after the Vigo snuff became scarce. “umber and red ochre, nut shell powder, brick dust, common fine yellow sand, sweepings of tobacconists’ work shops, old rotten wood commonly called powder of post.” from… The British perfumer: being a collection of choice receipts and observations … By Charles Lillie I have read other online books that also speak of the bastardization of snuffs being all too common.

I read that Antoine Lavoisier was arrested for adulteration of snuff, though it doesn’t mention it on his wikipedia page. It was quite a serious crime at the rime from what I gather, with hefty fines )or worse) attached. But what did they think they were buying when they biught their brick dust and rotten wood? Kendal Brown seems likely, or would they just have asked for generic ‘snuff’?

I found the link to the Lavoisier reference: http://books.google.com/books?id=DTJRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=Lavoisier+arrested+snuff+adulteration&source=bl&ots=2ftNzR-GH2&sig=3LVctKohPWK-4CAlLLR5tOiG2lE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=\\_hCWUeWKFMzi4APl54GIBA&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA * During the terrors of Robespierre’s reign in the French Revolution, Lavoisier remarked, that he foresaw he should be stripped of all his property, and accordingly would prepare to enter the profession of an apothecary. But his fate was already sealed ; and he was executed, in May, 1794, for the pretended crime of having adulterated snuff with ingredients injurious to the health of the citizens! On being arrested, he besought that at least time should be allowed him for completing some experiments in which he was engaged; but the reply was, " the Republic does not want savans or chemists, and the course of justice cannot be suspended." I think he worked as an excise man at some point, and it was his job to detect and punish those who adulterated snuff.

In Britain we haven’t had peasants since 1381. For real peasants one has to cross to Brittany. One may find online the wonderful early photograph of a Breton peasant in picturesque garb taking snuff from his rat’s tail snuffbox. His swarthy face is one of the soil. His leer suggests that thoughts are prurient, perhaps with an image of a large-bottomed, big-bosomed wench in his mind. However, it is easier to guess the contents of his box rather than his mind. In France the tobacco industry was first under Royal monopoly and then, after the revolution, under state monopoly. In the interests of liberté, égalité and fraternité snuff was produced en masse by the steam-powered mills at Morlaix. Real Morlaix snuff was available all over France and North Africa until the 1980s, very cheap and sold in large waxed paper parcels. Dark, coarse and natural with a sweet-smoky flavour it was nothing like the counterfeit snuff sold under the same name in Britain today. It was so good in fact that perhaps the Breton’s countenance was formed by the snuff after all and not the buxom wench taking the picture. Brown Scotch was popular in Britain amongst all strata on society from the 18th century onwards - especially Scotland from whence it derives its name. Terminology now associates Scotch with American snuff, but strictly speaking Brown Scotch is simply fin or demigros with a solution of water and salts (that may or may not be otherwise flavoured) and has nothing to do with scorching as is often supposed. Best S.P for example was, in my lifetime, known as Queens. Before that varied outlets sold it as Queen’s Scotch. The once popular Sales & Pollard snuff (S.P) is always referred to as a Scotch. J&H Wilsons S.P No.1, meanwhile, is a fair example of Brown Scotch still available today. Coarser snuff and the rappees were more popular in England than Scotland and Wales. Thomas Harrison’s coarse Kendal Brown (now manufactured by Samuel Gawith as Kendal Brown Original) was originally manufactured in 1792 for the common English market and not the Scotch one. Irish and Welsh snuffs, beloved of the bygone working-class, are explained below: “Irish and Welsh snuffs are also dry snuffs; but before the stalks are reduced to powder, they are subjected to a roasting process in closed cylinders, which assists in imparting the peculiar smell by which these snuffs are characterised. These two varieties of dry snuff are ground in mills of a similar description to those employed in the powdering of Scotch snuff.” ‘Food and its Adulterations’ - Arthur Hill Hassall 1855 Mention has been made of early 18th century adulteration of snuff. Inclusion of ground Spanish nuts (cobnuts) was very common. Indeed, adulterants were commonplace until Arthur Hill Hassall’s pioneering study of consumables heralded stricter regulation. You can see his report online and wonder at some of the filth that was mixed with tobacco. Some snuff was only available to the wealthy on account of certain flavourings, exclusive of nut shell powder, brick dust, common fine yellow sand, sweepings of tobacconists’ work shops, old rotten wood etc. Rose Oil, for example, was fabulously expensive, rendering something like the original Princes a rare commodity. I would hazard that snuffs for the pleb/prole/peasant of yesterday and today are those that (like the pyramids of Gaza) have stood the test of time: S.P, brown and black rappee, Irish Dry and Kendal Brown.

@PhilipS Now that is the kind of answer I was hoping for! Thank you for a comprehensive overview. Is Sales & Pollard another contender for the origin of the name SP? Interesting that the toasts were made in closed cylinders, I always thought it was just toasted, but never inderstood how toasting tobacco would give it that perculiar and delicious taste. I guess it was more like the distillation type process used for making coal tar and coke.

I googled arthur Hill Hassall and found this very interesting account of snuff adulteration: http://books.google.com/books?id=r0anIiWCa\\_gC&pg=PA612&lpg=PA612&dq=Arthur+Hill+Hassall+snuff+adulteration&source=bl&ots=G6tBjGLtq4&sig=CDWLmKHqtIEVn2EQ9JTX15OWJBY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e-OWUZStOaH84AORu4CwCA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ That’s some scary stuff!

“Thank you for a comprehensive overview.” You’re very welcome. “Is Sales & Pollard another contender for the origin of the name SP?” This was the subject of a detailed discussion a while back. SP are the initials of Sales & Pollard who sold their brown scotch as SP. Frustrated that other makers were also selling snuff as SP Sales & Pollard were moved in 1878 to register S.P as a trademark. This was rejected as SP was deemed ‘publici jurus’. See the full thread for more on this perplexing case. I can’t upload pictures so to see the old photograph of a Breton peasant taking snuff: http://tabatieres-snuffboxes.chez-alice.fr/tabatieres\\_francaises.htm#queue Scroll down or search for: Tabatière populaire

I’m guessing you mean this fellow:

And welcome back, @PhilipS - your unparalleled snuff knowledge has been sorely missed on this forum!

Awesome article, @philipS! Sigh…I’m a peasant *because* I buy a bunch of snuff. LOL!

Peasants? They used to use powdered turnip.