Snuff bottle, China, 1800-1895 (C.1864-1910)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1800-1895
Snuff bottle in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number C.1864-1910), made in China, dated 1800-1895. The museum's brief description reads: Scu, China, carving, agate.
Museum description: The bottle is an oblong flattened flask form with shoulders sloping up to a cylindrical neck. It has a two-part flat stopper. The bottle is made of moss agate, grey and green, with carved details. The stopper is of red and green glass. There are masks and mock ring handles on the shoulders. The curved foot has an indentation underneath. The decorative interest lies chiefly in the natural markings of the stone.
The oblong shape suggests a nineteenth-century date. The museum records it as Carved agate, with a coloured glass stopper, measuring Height 5.9 cm. These details come from the 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 in China (most snuff users were men) generally carried their snuff in a small bottle. Snuff bottles were made in and from a variety of shapes and materials. 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
- glass, agate
- Dimensions
- Height 5.9 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Carved agate, with a coloured glass stopper
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Museum object name
- Snuff bottle
- Museum object number
- C.1864-1910
- Museum system number
- O8663
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 date against a specialist reference.