Snuff bottle, 1750-1900
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1750-1900
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.
The bottle is a flattened ovoid form with a wide cylindrical neck and comparatively narrow neck-hole. It does not have a stopper. It is made of agate, with banding of white, grey, and several shades of greenish brown. The base is flat with no foot. The decorative effect lies in the natural markings of the stone and in the pleasing shape of the bottle.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- 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: 4.8 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Carved agate
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O8647
- Museum object number
- 400-1902
- 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.