Chinese snuff bottle, ca. 1700, Qing dynasty; porcelain, with moulded decoration depicting lotus flowers.
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1700
The bottle is a pear-shaped vase form with no stopper. It is made of porcelain, glazed in blue, with decoration moulded in relief showing as white through the glaze.
The decoration depicts two clumps of lotus flowers. The high foot is solid and unglazed underneath. Probably an adapted miniature bottle. 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.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Height 6.4 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Porcelain with moulded and glazed decoration
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O9054
- Museum object number
- IS.249-1897
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.