The other type of silver box are snuff boxes. They were used in the 17th – 18th centuries and were also a fashionable item, becoming symbols of wealth and status. They were used to hold snuff which is a finely ground form of tobacco which was sniffed or inhaled. Prolonged exposure to air meant it could dry out and lose its quality so snuff boxes had to be as airtight as possible.
They ranged in materials and sizes – there were pocket boxes for personal use and communal boxes for tables.
People from all social classes used them at the peak of their popularity however the higher classes could afford more elaborate designs and richer materials like gold and silver. They were often given as gifts to mark occasions.
After smoking was banned in the House of Commons, they had a communal silver snuff box installed at the entrance which was the responsibility of the Principal Doorkeeper to keep topped up. It was destroyed in an air raid in WW2; however, a replacement box was commissioned using wood reclaimed from the old House of Commons chamber.