Please complete the form to email this item.

Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1750-1895 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Transparent glass with an overlay of greyish-blue glass carved in relief

  • Credit Line:

    Salting Bequest

  • Museum number:

    C.1690-1910

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • 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 an oval flattened flask form with no stopper.
It is made of glass, transparent with a white tinge, suffused with bubbles, with an overlay of greyish-blue glass carved in relief.
The decoration depicts a medallion of two confronted dragons forming a stylized long character ('dragon'). The same design is carved on the reverse and there are masks and mock ring handles on the shoulders.
The foot has an indentation underneath.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1750-1895 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Transparent glass with an overlay of greyish-blue glass carved in relief

Dimensions

Height: 6.1 cm

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

Mask; Dragon

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories

Collection code

EAS

Download image
Qr_O8244
Ajax-loader