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Snuff bottle

Snuff bottle

  • Place of origin:

    China (made)

  • Date:

    1796-1850 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    [Snuff bottle] Copper with cloisonné enamel decoration
    [Stopper] Coral set in metal

  • Credit Line:

    Given by H. H. Joseph, Esq.

  • Museum number:

    M.16-1918

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

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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 ovoid form; the neck-hole is wide in relation to the size of the bottle. It has a dome-shaped stopper.
It is made of copper with cloisonné enamel decoration in blue, green, red, yellow and white; stopper of coral set in metal.
The decoration depicts an Ogre mask with the character 'wang', 'king', in blue between the eyes; the same design is on the reverse with variation in the colours used, the character 'wang being in red; lappet motif around the neck.
High foot on exposed copper ring with high indentation underneath.

Place of Origin

China (made)

Date

1796-1850 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

[Snuff bottle] Copper with cloisonné enamel decoration
[Stopper] Coral set in metal

Dimensions

[Snuff bottle] Height: 4.8 cm

Descriptive line

Chinese snuff bottle, 1796-1850, Qing dynasty; copper with cloisonné enamel decoration depicting an Ogre mask.

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; Copper; Coral

Techniques

Cloisonne

Subjects depicted

Masks (costume); Ogre

Categories

Containers; Personal accessories

Collection code

EAS

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Qr_O9123
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