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Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1750-1895 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Opaque brown glass with an overlay of blue glass carved in relief

  • Credit Line:

    Salting Bequest

  • Museum number:

    C.1674-1910

  • Gallery location:

    In store

  • Download image

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.

Physical description

The bottle is a rounded flattened flask form without a stopper.
It is made of opaque brown glass, with an overlay of blue glass carved in relief.
The decoration depicts a toad, lotus, bamboo, pine and a flying crane. On the reverse is a fish, lotus and pine.
The foot is formed by the overlay an there is an angular indentation underneath.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1750-1895 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Opaque brown glass with an overlay of blue glass carved in relief

Dimensions

Height: 6.5 cm

Descriptive line

Snuff bottle, opaque brown glass with an overlay of blue glass carved in relief, China, 1750-1895

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

White, Helen. Snuff Bottles from China. London: Bamboo Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 291p., ill. ISBN 1870076109.

Materials

Glass

Techniques

Carving

Subjects depicted

Fish; Bamboo; Lotus; Crane (bird); Toad

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories; Glass

Collection code

FEC

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Qr_O7932
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