Scu, China, carving, jade

Scu, China, carving, jade

The bottle is a heavy rounded flattened flask form with a dome shaped stopper. It is made from grey nephrite jade with white skin heavily carved in relief. The stopper is of green glass set in metal. The inscription is incised and picked out with gold-coloured pigment. The He He Twins or 'Two Saints of Harmony' are depicted with baskets, bats and coins; between the boys a three legged toad and clouds; a rocky landscape on the side of the bottle and a poem of four seven-character lines (a quatrain) is inscribed on the reverse. The bottle does not have a foot but there is an irregular oval indentation underneath.

Salting Bequest

Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

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.

C.1796&A-1910