Beautiful Qing Dynasty Chinese snuff bottle made of porcelain. Miniature paintings of pink peonies on each side. Peonies are native to China and are often called the 'king of flowers.' They were the national flower prior to 1929, when they were replaced by the plum tree. Peonies have been popular in China since the Sui and Tang dynasties, when they were planted at the Imperial Palace. Because of its royal connections, this flower is often associated with nobility, honor, and wealth.
The shuff bottle is missing a lid. Also please note a small chip to the paint on one of the flower petals (see last picture). This snuff bottle was not made for export and therefore is not marked at the bottom.
Measurements:
Height: 2.5" (6.5 cm).
Width: 1.8" (4.5 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.
