The Purpose of Antique Treen & Bone Snuff Spoons

There are still a large number of antique snuff spoons and shovels to be found, with lots of subtles differences. Many were made in bone, horn, ivory, silver, gold and occasionally antique treen snuff spoons can be found.

The purpose of the snuff spoons were to measure and scoop out a small amount of snuff from the snuff box, in order that it could be sniffed through the nose or inhaled. Most snuff spoons were small, helping to control the amount of snuff taken. The spoons usually have holes in the spoon bowls and sometimes the end of the handle, maybe for use by two different people acting as a double -ended snuff spoon.

Not only did the holes help to control the amount of snuff consumed, they also worked to sift the fine powder, as snuff would be scooped up in clumps or larger particles. The finer powder passed through the holes, ensuring that only fine powder was inhaled.

The holes allowed for any excess snuff to fall back back into the box, reducing waste and ensuring a measured amount was taken. The holes in the snuff spoons were also suppose to aerate the snuff and help dry it as snuff clumped together on exposure to moisture in the air, hence why antique snuff boxes needed to be air tight.

The snuff spoon ensured that snuff taking was more elegant and refined, associated with snuff taking in the 18th and earlier part of the 19th century.

Below are images of three antique treen snuff spoons. These are very difficult to find. Probably, partly due to when the antique treen snuff spoons were damaged they would have been used as firewood.

There are such a variety of bone snuff spoons still to be found.

The image below is interesting as it's slightly bigger than most, note the pierced heart at the end of the handle.

Below are a few early 1800s bone snuff spoons all with subtle differences. From turned handles, pierced handles and a double-ended handle.

These snuff spoons were part of the very popular snuff taking habit which started in the early 1700s and went right through to the end of the 1800s decreasing in popularity then.