Chinese Snuff bottle

This bottle was designed to hold snuff, the powdered tobacco, flavoured with various aromatic spices and essences meant to be inhaled through the nose or rubbed on the gums. It was thought to be medicinal for the common cold, headaches, and stomach bugs. Europeans kept their snuff in boxes, but when Tobacco was introduced to China by European missionaries and merchants in the late 1500s, in the humid conditions of Asia, the hinged lids could not keep the dry snuff from spoiling, so a new container design was needed. 

Chinese medicine bottles were the perfect form to inspire the shape of snuff bottles, with their soft edges and tiny mouths. These were the perfect design to inspire the shape of snuff bottles, with their soft edges and tiny mouths. The air-tight stopper and small scoop were added to complete the design.

This pretty Chinese Snuff bottle features peaches and greenery on one side and flowers and a bird on the other. The green stopper supports the tiny Snuff spoon. Characters are marked on the base, confirming the age of this bottle.

Perfect for any collector of decorative Chinese pieces.

Size:7.5cm