Kōrero: Smoking

A snuff mull is an oversized snuff box. This one was made in Edinburgh in 1875 for the Mosgiel Woollen Company. Mounted on castors, it would have been rolled down the table for gentlemen to partake of the snuff in the small silver box on top of the ram's head. Attached to the mull by silver chains are a rake to scratch the snuff, a small spoon to scoop it up and a rabbit's foot for the gentlemen to wipe their moustaches after taking their sniff. Snuff was a fashion which became popular among Britain's upper class in the 18th century, but it was not a widespread custom in 19th-century New Zealand.