Snuff Bottle thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Snuff Bottle

1750-1895 (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
Opaque white glass with light brown glass overlay carved in relief
Brief description
Snuff bottle, opaque white glass with light brown glass overlay carved in relief, China, 1750-1895
Physical description
The bottle is a rounded flattened flask form made of opaque white glass, with overlay of light brown glass, carved in relief.
The dome-shaped two-part stopper is made of jade and glass coloured to imitate rose quartz.
The carved relief depicts two men, one of them perhaps a juggler, and a woman holding a tall rod. On the reverse, the same three figures beneath a pine tree; the pine tree extends from rocks on one shoulder; on the other shoulder are rocks, clouds and the sun, which bears the character ri, 'sun'.
There is no separate foot but the bottle is cradled by the brown glass overlay.
The colour of the glass overlay is unusual.
Dimensions
  • Height: 5.9cm
Style
Credit line
Salting Bequest
Object history
Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. 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
C.1683-1910

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Record createdJune 17, 1998
Record URL
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