Snuffbox 1730 - 1745

This snuffbox was made at the Saint-Cloud factory, a center of porcelain production on the outskirts of Paris. As the name suggests, these boxes were made to hold snuff, or powdered tobacco, which was inhaled through the nose. Its popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries transcended social boundaries and spread throughout Europe and beyond. The rise of snuff use coincided with the expansion of European colonial empires and global trade networks. Tobacco, a plant native to the Americas, became a key commodity in this exchange. The Saint-Cloud factory and others played a crucial role in producing the containers that facilitated its consumption. These porcelain objects are more than just containers, they are artifacts that embody complex connections between trade, colonialism, and the social habits of early modern Europe. Studying the designs and materials used, as well as factory records and trade documents, offer invaluable insights into the global flow of goods and cultural practices of the period.