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Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1736-1795 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    [Snuff bottle] Painted enamels on copper
    [Stopper] Metal

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Brig. Leslie H. Aste

  • Museum number:

    FE.61-1970

  • Gallery location:

    On Display

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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 flattened pear form with a dome-shaped stopper.
It is formed of enamels painted on copper, pink, blue, green and brown on a white ground, the copper exposed at the neck and foot; stopper of metal.
The decoration depicts a flowering plant with pink and blue flowers growing by a rock. There is a similar design on the reverse and around the neck a border of interlace pattern in blue. On the stopper a dragon's head.
The oblong foot is enamelled underneath.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1736-1795 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

[Snuff bottle] Painted enamels on copper
[Stopper] Metal

Dimensions

[Snuff bottle] Height: 4.5 cm

Descriptive line

Chinese snuff bottle, 1736-1795, Qing dynasty; copper, with painted enamel decoration depicting a flowering plant.

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

Metal; Enamels; Copper

Techniques

Painting (image-making)

Subjects depicted

Flowers (plants); Rock; Dragon; Geometric pattern

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories

Collection code

EAS

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Qr_O9118
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