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Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1750-1895 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    [SNUFF BOTTLE] Glass, opaque white, with an overlay of red glass carved in relief

  • Credit Line:

    Salting Bequest

  • Museum number:

    C.1657-1910

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

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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

[SNUFF BOTTLE] The bottle is an elongated oval flattened flask form, with a splayed neck rim and no stopper.
It is made of glass, opaque white shading to transparent with a white tinge, with an overlay of red glass carved in relief.
The decoration depicts a shield shaped motif with a tiger head at the top and a bird-headed dragon. On the reverse there is a similar motif incised with scrolls, with two bird-headed dragons coiled about it. There is a band of overlay around the neck rim.
The curved foot is incorporated into the design, formed by part of a coiled dragon's tail.
The surface is mostly covered with overlay, with large areas uncarved or only lightly incised. The base glass is opaque white at the top but becomes clearer lower down.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1750-1895 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

[SNUFF BOTTLE] Glass, opaque white, with an overlay of red glass carved in relief

Dimensions

[SNUFF BOTTLE] Height: 7.6 cm

Descriptive line

Glass snuff bottle, opaque white with an overlay of red glass carved in relief, China, ca.19th century

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

Dragon; Tiger

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories; Glass

Collection code

EAS

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Qr_O8197
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