Most of the tins exhibited here were used to store snuff. In the snuff boxes, the lid is attached with a hinge, so that you could easily hold the box with your left hand and with your right hand you could bring the snuff to your nose. Since people always wanted to carry them with them, these tins were of handy size.
Snuffing tobacco was more popular than smoking tobacco in many European countries in the 18th century. Women also appreciated snuff, which was believed to have a purifying effect and to promote clear thinking. Snuffing tobacco was highly ritualized and closely embedded in social manners.

1. Take the tabatière with the fingers of the left hand.
2. Place it in the correct position in your hand.
3. Tap the tabatière with your finger.
4. Open the tabatière.
5. Offer the tabatière to the company.
6. Take the tabatière back again.
7. Keep the tabatière open at all times.
8. Collect the tobacco in the tabatière by tapping the side with your finger.
9. Gently take the tobacco with your right hand.
10. Hold the tobacco between your fingers for a while before guiding it to your nose.
11. Guide the tobacco to your nose.
12. Snuff evenly with both nostrils without grimacing.
13. Sneeze, cough, spit out.
14. Close the tabatière.

Instructions for the correct use of the snuff box, mid-18th century