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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] Carved moss agate and agate
    [Stopper] Stained quarzite

  • Credit Line:

    Salting Bequest

  • Museum number:

    C.1892&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

[Snuff bottle] The bottle is a squarish flattened flask form made of moss agate with areas of agate, green, grey, brown and white, with carved details. The foot has an indentation underneath.
The decorative effect of the bottle lies in its colours and markings.
[Stopper] Dome-shaped with a finial made of stained quartzite.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1750-1909 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

[Snuff bottle] Carved moss agate and agate
[Stopper] Stained quarzite

Dimensions

Height: 5.0 cm

Descriptive line

Chinese snuff bottle, carved moss agate and agate, in the form of a flask, Qing Dynasty, 1750-1909.

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

Agate; Quartzite

Techniques

Carving; Staining

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories

Collection code

FEC

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Qr_O8691
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