Snuff Bottle thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
China, Room 44, The T.T. Tsui Gallery

Snuff Bottle

1750-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. The habit of snuff-taking spread to China from the West during the 17th century and became established in the 18th century. People generally carried snuff in a small bottle. By the 20th century these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Snuff Bottle
  • Stopper
Materials and techniques
Glass, cast
Brief description
Snuff bottle in hill shape, glass imitating aventurine, China, Qing dynasty, 1750-1850
Physical description
Snuff bottle, mountain shape, glass imitating aventurine. Matching stopper
Dimensions
  • Height: 6.5cm
Style
Gallery label
Snuff bottle in hill shape Qing dynasty 1750-1850 Glass imitating aventurine Shoichiro Oki Gift Museum no. FE.459-2007(2009)
Credit line
Shoichiro Oki Gift
Subjects depicted
Summary
Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. The habit of snuff-taking spread to China from the West during the 17th century and became established in the 18th century. People generally carried snuff in a small bottle. By the 20th century these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.
Collection
Accession number
FE.459:1, 2-2007

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Record createdMay 21, 2008
Record URL
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