This delicately japanned box may have been used for holding snuff. Although tobacco was introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century, the way in which it was used differed greatly from modern habits. A fine tobacco powder known as snuff was inhaled from the back of the hand or the fingertips. Snuff-taking was an expensive habit and could only be afforded by the well-to-do, with the result that snuff-related objects, such as rasps and boxes, are often made from precious materials like ivory, and are beautifully decorated with carving or inlay. This box's lustrous finish was probably created using the decorative technique known as vernis Martin. It was inspired by Japanese lacquer, first imported into Europe in the seventeenth century. Numerous French craftsmen then experimented with paints and varnishes, trying to find a way to replicate its shine, depth of colour and delicate decoration. The most successful of these were the Martin brothers who were granted a royal privilege to manufacture imitation lacquer by Louis XV in 1733.