The practice of taking snuff became popular in England around the seventeenth century although it had been known a little earlier in France and also in Scotland due to their contact with the French Court. For many years a Scots Highlander in full kilt carved in wood was the sign used to denote that a shop sold snuff - similar to the Cigar Store Indian signs of North America. The use of snuff probably originated in Central and South America before the advent of the Spaniards who most likely brought the habit to Europe.

Louis XIII of France forbade the use of snuff except as prescribed by physicians who believed, as many still do, that it keeps one free from colds and gives relief from catarrh and similar complaints.

Pope Urban XIII ordered that anyone found guilty of taking snuff in church should be excommunicated.

Tsar Michael I of Russia decreed that smokers should be whipped for the first offence and executed for the second, whilst snuff takers should be treated rather more leniently - they were merely to have their noses cut off!

Probably the most widely taken snuff in the world is the blend known as "SP". This blend obtained its name through a naval battle off the shore of a Spanish port, Vigo, in 1702. The French fleet was protecting a rich Spanish convoy of galleons which had sailed from the West Indies when a combined English and Dutch fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke attacked. One ship, the Torbay, under the command of Vice-Admiral Hobson was becalmed and trapped in a most compromising position. A contemporary chronicler writes, "All this while Admiral Hobson was in extreme danger; for being clapt on board by a French Fireship, whereby his rigging was presently set on fire, he expected every moment to be burnt; but it very fortunately fell out that the French ship, which indeed was a Merchantman laden with snuff, and fitted up in haste for a Fireship, being blown up, the snuff, in some measure extinguished the fire, and preserved the English Man of War from being consumed."

This battle, for which Hobson received a Knighthood and a pension of £500, was largely responsible for starting the popular fashion of snuff-taking in England. The booty from the captured Spanish galleons included a large quantity of snuff which was subsequently sold in London. Referred to as "Spanish" by the clerks, they soon abbreviated this to "SP", thus originating the name of the most popular blend of all.

By the eighteenth century snuff-taking was widespread throughout the world. Snuff-boxes, usually highly ornamented, were worn as jewellery and boxes were often highly prized examples of the finest work of miniature painters, enamellers, jewellers and silversmiths. Snuff-boxes were given as valuable gifts, and in the eighteenth century, lids were often decorated with miniature typical subjects of the period, such as allegories, pastoral romantic scenes and flowers