Snuff Bottle
1750-1909 (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 overlay of black glass carved in relief |
| Brief description | Snuff bottle, opaque white glass with overlay of black glass carved in relief, China, ca. 19th century |
| Physical description | The bottle is a flattened oval flask form without a stopper. It is made from glass, opaque white, with an overlay of black glass carved in relief. The decoration consists of two fish on each side, a crab on each shoulder, and a continuous border of waves around the base. The bottle does not have a foot but sits, instead, in cradle of swirling waves formed by the black glass overlay. The contrast of black on white produces a striking effect. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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.1681-1910 |
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| Record created | June 17, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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