Snuff Bottles

Snuff bottles were used by the Chinese to contain powdered tobacco during the Qing Dynasty. Tobacco was originally smoked in pipes before the establishment of the Qing Dynasty in the mid 17th century. more...

Home
Antique Clocks
Antique Furniture
Antiquities
Architectural Antiques
Asian/ Oriental Antiques
Chinese
Baskets
Bowls
Boxes
Buddhas
Cabinets
Chairs
Chests
Cloisonne
Glasses/ Cups
Ivory
Jade/ Hardstone
Necklaces/ Pendants
Ornaments
Other Chinese
Paintings/ Scrolls
Plates
Porcelain
Pots
Snuff Bottles
Statues
Tables
Textiles
Vases
Woodenware
Indian
Islamic/ Middle Eastern
Japanese
Other Asian/ Oriental...
South-East Asian
Tibetan
Maps
Silver

The use of snuff began and increased in popularity after the establishment of the Qing Dynasty. Although smoking tobacco was considered illegal at that time, the use of snuff was allowed because the Chinese considered snuff to be a good remedy for many common illnesses like colds, headaches and stomach disorders. Therefore, snuff were carried in a small medicine bottle like other chinese medicine at the time, hence the name snuff bottle. Snuff bottle are comparable to the snuff box used by Europeans.

Tobacco was originally introduced to the court at Beijing sometime during the mid to late 16th century. Then, the use of snuff and snuff bottles increase in popularity in the upper class. By the end of the 17th century, it was considered a social ritual by upper class to use snuff. This trend lasted through most of the 18th century. Soon after, this trend spread through Beijing into the rest of the country into every social classes. It was very common to offer a pinch of snuff as a way to greet friends and relatives. Because of this trend, the snuff bottles became an object for collection and a way to represent status. The highest status goes to whoever has the rarest and finest snuff bottle. The largest quantity of snuff bottles were made during the 18th century. The use of snuff bottles increased and decreased with the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty. The trend of using snuff bottles died away soon after the establishment of the Republic of China. However, replica snuff bottles are still being made nowadays, and can be purchased in souvenir shops or flea markets. Original snuff bottles from the Qing period are a desirable target for serious collectors and museums. A good bottle has an extra quality over and above its exquisite beauty and value; that is touch. Snuff bottles were made to be held and so they have a wonderful tactile quality, a ravishing subtlety we are unable to experience as the best bottles are carefully locked in museum cases or in connoisseur’s collections. But even some of the more accessible bottles give an indication of this remarkable characteristic.

Material and Size

The size of a snuff bottle was small enough to fit nicely inside a person's palm. Snuff bottles were made out of many different materials known at the time by the Chinese, including porcelain, jade, ivory, wood, tortoiseshell, metal, ceramic and many more, however, probably the most commonly used material was glass.. The stopper for the bottle usually had a very small spoon attached to it for extracting snuff out of the bottle. Snuff bottles were also decorated with paintings or carvings on the outside, which distinguished bottles of different qualities and values. These bottles were more time consuming in its production and are more desirable for today's collectors.

Read more at Wikipedia.org