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Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1750-1909 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    [Snuff bottle] Chalcedony, with dark brown inclusions, carved in relief
    [Stopper] Glass, coloured to imitate rose quartz, set in metal

  • Credit Line:

    Salting Bequest

  • Museum number:

    C.1800&A-1910

  • Gallery location:

    In store

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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

The bottle is a heavy square form with a stopper in a flattened dome shape.
It is made of chalcedony, mushroom colour with dark brown inclusions and skin, with decoration carved in relief. The stopper is of glass coloured to imitate rose quartz, set in metal.
The carved decoration depicts two men playing "go" under a pine tree with a boy in attendance. On the reverse there is a man holding a stick and a boy following him with a bundle under his arm.
The high foot has an angular indentation underneath.
The bottle is unusually large and heavy; the skin stands out in high relief to form the pictorial decoration. The design may depict scenes from the story of 'Liu Ruan in the Tiantai mountains'.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1750-1909 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

[Snuff bottle] Chalcedony, with dark brown inclusions, carved in relief
[Stopper] Glass, coloured to imitate rose quartz, set in metal

Dimensions

Height: 6.9 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; Metal; Chalcedony

Techniques

Carving

Subjects depicted

Men; Boys; Pine; Go

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories

Collection code

FEC

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Qr_O8520
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