Please complete the form to email this item.

Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1796-1900 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Porcelain, covered with coloured enamels

  • Credit Line:

    Given by W. G. Gulland, Esq.

  • Museum number:

    306-1905

  • Gallery location:

    On Display

  • 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 a rectangular form with a cylindrical neck and no stopper. It is made of porcelain, covered with light blue of enamel, with details picked out in red and yellow.
There are two raised panels on each side, resembling seals, with two fu ('blessing') characters in the upper panel and two xi ('joy') characters in the lower panel.
High oval foot, unglazed at the edge, with a high glazed angular indentation underneath.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1796-1900 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Porcelain, covered with coloured enamels

Dimensions

Height: 6.4 cm

Descriptive line

Chinese snuff bottle, 1796-1900, Qing Dynasty; porcelain covered in coloured enamels.

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

Porcelain; Enamel

Categories

Containers; Ceramics; Personal accessories

Collection code

EAS

Download image
Qr_O8993
Ajax-loader