Snuff bottle, China, 1760-1909
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1760-1909
Snuff bottle, China, 1760-1909 is an object recorded by Victoria and Albert Museum, dated 1760-1909. The museum's brief description reads: Scu, China, carving, jade.
Museum description: The bottle is in the form of a flattened cube with a short cylindrical neck and no stopper. It is carved from jade, probably nephrite jade, white with a slight green hue. The decoration depicts four characters enclosed in a border on each side. Illustrated on the side is 'Yue ming ru shi meaning 'The moon shines as bright as the water". On the other side 'Feng nong zhu sheng' meaning 'The wind makes the bamboo sigh'.
The bottle has a high rectangular foot with high indentation underneath. The museum record gives material recorded as jade; measurements Height 5.1 cm; place associated: China. These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
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.
Historical context
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.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- jade
- Dimensions
- Height 5.1 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Carved jade, probably nephrite jade, white with a slight green hue
- Place recorded
- China
Design
- Inscriptions recorded
- 'Yue ming ru shui'; 'Feng nong zhu sheng'
Identification
- Museum object name
- Snuff bottle
- Museum object number
- C.1856-1910
- Museum system number
- O7380
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 materials, dimensions, maker and wider type against the holding institution and a specialist reference.