Snuff bottle, 1850-1880

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 Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.

The bottle is an oblong flattened flask form, it is slightly wider at the shoulders than at the base; the shoulders sloping to a short cylindrical neck with no stopper. It is made of glass, opaque white, with thin overlay of brown glass carved in relief. The decoration depicts a mounted horseman chasing a spotted deer, a bird flying away and an inscription in seal-script meaning 'Picture of catching a deer'. On the reverse there is a bearded man sitting beneath a tree, with a kettle and a teacup beside him, and a brid flying towards him. There are masks and mock ring handles on the shoulders with brown overlay on the edge of the neck.

The curved foot is formed by brown glass overlay, with indentation underneath. A seal-type bottle. 'catching a deer' is a pun on gettting an official's salary. The similarity of this bottle to 5363-1901(the masks and mock ring handles are identical) suggests a pre-1880 date for this bottle as well.