Chinese snuff bottle, Qing Dynasty; 1796-1850; white porcelain with moulded decoration

The bottle is a flattened oviod form on a narrow base, with a flared neck. The stopper is a sloping dome shape with a finial.
It is made of porcelain, creamy white to imitate ivory, with moulded and trimmed decoration. The stopper is made of creamy white moulded porcelain.
The moulded decoration depicts the eighteen Lohan on a ground of waves, with cloud.
The stopper has a line and circle decoration radiaiting from the finial.
There is a small oval unglazed base with an indentation underneath and no foot.

Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street

Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology (Jermyn Street, London), accessioned in 1901. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

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.

4833-1901