Snuff Bottle
1750-1870 (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 | Rock crystal with carved decoration |
Brief description | Scu, China, carving, rock crystal |
Physical description | The bottle is a tall flattened hexagonal form with cylindrical neck and no stopper. It is made of rock crystal, grey with a white skin, with decoration carved in relief. The carving depicts a continuous design of plants and birds. The foot is high, hexagonal form on the outside, oval inside, with angular indentation underneath. The carved skin of milky white quartz contrasts with the base colour of the grey rock crystal to produce an effect similar to overlay glass; the grey base material is carved as well, and all six sides are decorated. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Credit line | Wells Bequest |
Object history | Bequeathed by Arthur Wells, accessioned in 1882. 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 | 1626-1882 |
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Record created | August 5, 1998 |
Record URL |
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