Snuff Bottle
1750-1895 (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 | |
Materials and techniques | Semi-opaque white glass with an overlay of red glass, carved in relief |
Brief description | Glass snuff bottle, semi-opaque white with an overlay of red glass carved in relief, China, ca.19th century |
Physical description | The bottle is an oval flattened flask form with no stopper. It is made of glass, semi-opaque white with white flecks and an overlay of red glass carved in relief. There has been some seepage of red into the base layer of glass around the neck. The decoration depicts a pair of mandarin ducks and lotus plants. On the reverse there is a single mandarin duck and lotus plants. The high splayed foot is formed by the overlay and there is an angular indentation underneath. A pair of mandarin ducks usually represents marital happiness. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Credit line | Salting Bequest |
Object history | 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. |
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. |
Bibliographic reference | White, Helen. Snuff Bottles from China. London: Bamboo Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 291p., ill. ISBN 1870076109. |
Collection | |
Accession number | C.1569-1910 |
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Record created | July 3, 1998 |
Record URL |
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