Snuff bottle, glass with red overlay, China, 1750-1880
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1750-1880
People generally carried snuff in a small bottle. The bottle is an elongated flattened pear form and is made of transparent glass with overlay of red glass partly carved in relief. The two-part dome-shaped stopper.is made of coral and turquoise-coloured stone or glass. The decoration depicts eight flower sprays, including lotus, pink, poppy and orchid, separately arranged, four on each side.
The high splayed foot is formed by the overlay with high indentation underneath. This quartered arrangement of the decoration is unusual amongst the red overlay bottles. The carving is fairly crude. The coral dome of the stopper is formed from half a coral bead. Despite the glass being of clearer transparency, this bottle is comparable with 438-1880, which was certainly made before 1880, so I have given the same dating parameters.
Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910.
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
- Material
- Transparent glass with overlay of red glass partly carved in relief
- Dimensions
- Height: 7.8 cm
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London collection record for this single object (sentences kept verbatim apart from removed sale or rarity wording); how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Candidate id
- vam-O8038
- Museum object name
- Snuff bottle
- Holding institution
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Museum object number
- C.1567-1910
- Museum system number
- O8038
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, maker and dating against a specialist reference; this entry documents one recorded example.