Exquisite Qing Dynasty Chinese snuff bottle, made of porcelain and intricately hand painted on both sides. Includes original jade cap with spoon. One side features two figures in a garden, wearing blue and purple garments. The other side has a female figure dressed in purple and green. The jade lid beautifully highlights the colors of the bottle. This snuff bottle was not made for export and therefore is not marked at the bottom.
Measurements:
Height: 2.2" (5.5 cm).
Width: 1.6" (4 cm).
Chinese snuff bottles were only made in the Qing Dynasty, which began in 1644 and ended in 1911. They were used exclusively for holding powdered tobacco, usually mixed with herbs and spices. The mixture was inhaled through the nose. Snuff bottles originated in the imperial court. For the first several hundred years of their existence, tobacco was very expensive in China and therefore snuff bottle ownership indicated high social status. Only in the 19th century did snuff bottles become accessible to the general population. The great diversity in styles and materials and creativity in design made snuff bottles an important form of Chinese decorative art.
