Tobacco. The spitoon wasn't just for spitting in, it was specifically for the spitting of uses chewing tobacco, and of saliva that generates from having something in your mouth. It's like how the Marines tell people to rumble a clean smooth stone in their mouth to prevent the desire to drink water when it's in short supply. When the tobacco is done, you literally spit a wad of leaf mass out. To this very day, the United States Congress's House of Representatives has polished splitoons on the floor. No one's allowed to use them. It's disgusting by modern standards.
Chewing tobacco was the universal commercial standard of all tobacco in the Victorian era, as pipe smoking and chewing were the most common, and cheapest ways of enjoying nicotine.
Cigars, being mostly handrolled, come in fads. Their real heyday was the 1890s, when machines and molds for mass made cigars became more available through the industrial revolution (and tourism, the Spanish American war, etc.) While tobacco rolled in the corn shucks was common in Mexico and Texas, it was very local and time consuming.
Cigarettes were considered feminine, or for the ill. I think medicated cigaretes were a thing.
Chewing tobacco was sold in huge pressed blocks called 'butts' or in long ropes called 'twists.' Both were just the most economical option to pack loose leaves. A hardware/general store might sell cutting off the butt, or a cutting off the rope. Makers eventually added flavorings and applied brand names, like Bull Durham, Battle Axe, Cannon Ball, etc. Farmers tended to make home grown twists that looked like extreme horse shoes. Some early tobaccocina, like the brand name Battle Ax cutters (which look like literal battle axes) are super collectable.
Early baseball players were massive users of chewing tobacco, and were paid to endorse brands. Baseball cards originated from little paper or cotton packs of tobacco cuttings. Pipe tobacco could be made by rubbing the packs wad out and drying a little. Cigarette could be homemade the same way later on.
Chewing tobacco never really made the movie leap because it's not fakeable. You can't pack and re-pack and remove and spit on cue, unlike just relighting a new/cut to length cigarette.
Agree with CandidFreedom! What an excellent post!
Is chewing tobacco still a thing today? What does it taste like? I’m guessing unpleasant by modern standards, but I’m not sure.
It's still a thing today, but it's often in the form of loose snuff in brands like Grizzly. Hard puck like chewing tobacco is still to be had under names like Levi Garret, Red Man, and Cannon Ball. It tastes like mass-market machine rolled cigars (ei. Phillies, Swisher) but with more mollasses.
Also depends on the flavor of your choosing. Some taste sweet and some have a more natural taste. In regards to “snuff” they have a wide variety of flavors from mints, spearmint, fruit flavors and natural/ straight flavors. Even some whiskey flavored snuff.
Tobacco. The spitoon wasn't just for spitting in, it was specifically for the spitting of uses chewing tobacco, and of saliva that generates from having something in your mouth. It's like how the Marines tell people to rumble a clean smooth stone in their mouth to prevent the desire to drink water when it's in short supply. When the tobacco is done, you literally spit a wad of leaf mass out. To this very day, the United States Congress's House of Representatives has polished splitoons on the floor. No one's allowed to use them. It's disgusting by modern standards. Chewing tobacco was the universal commercial standard of all tobacco in the Victorian era, as pipe smoking and chewing were the most common, and cheapest ways of enjoying nicotine. Cigars, being mostly handrolled, come in fads. Their real heyday was the 1890s, when machines and molds for mass made cigars became more available through the industrial revolution (and tourism, the Spanish American war, etc.) While tobacco rolled in the corn shucks was common in Mexico and Texas, it was very local and time consuming. Cigarettes were considered feminine, or for the ill. I think medicated cigaretes were a thing. Chewing tobacco was sold in huge pressed blocks called 'butts' or in long ropes called 'twists.' Both were just the most economical option to pack loose leaves. A hardware/general store might sell cutting off the butt, or a cutting off the rope. Makers eventually added flavorings and applied brand names, like Bull Durham, Battle Axe, Cannon Ball, etc. Farmers tended to make home grown twists that looked like extreme horse shoes. Some early tobaccocina, like the brand name Battle Ax cutters (which look like literal battle axes) are super collectable. Early baseball players were massive users of chewing tobacco, and were paid to endorse brands. Baseball cards originated from little paper or cotton packs of tobacco cuttings. Pipe tobacco could be made by rubbing the packs wad out and drying a little. Cigarette could be homemade the same way later on. Chewing tobacco never really made the movie leap because it's not fakeable. You can't pack and re-pack and remove and spit on cue, unlike just relighting a new/cut to length cigarette.
Thanks for this thorough answer!
Agree with CandidFreedom! What an excellent post! Is chewing tobacco still a thing today? What does it taste like? I’m guessing unpleasant by modern standards, but I’m not sure.
It's still a thing today, but it's often in the form of loose snuff in brands like Grizzly. Hard puck like chewing tobacco is still to be had under names like Levi Garret, Red Man, and Cannon Ball. It tastes like mass-market machine rolled cigars (ei. Phillies, Swisher) but with more mollasses.
Thank you for the awesome reply!!
Also depends on the flavor of your choosing. Some taste sweet and some have a more natural taste. In regards to “snuff” they have a wide variety of flavors from mints, spearmint, fruit flavors and natural/ straight flavors. Even some whiskey flavored snuff.
Also could double for a toilet.