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HOME :
Chinese Art :
Qing Dynasty (Ching) : Glass Snuff Bottle
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Glass Snuff Bottle - SP.499
Origin: China
Circa: 1850
AD
to 1910
AD
Dimensions:
3.5" (8.9cm) high
Collection: Chinese Art
Style: Qing Dynasty
Medium: Glass
Condition: Extra Fine
$2,500.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
It was likely the Spanish who first introduced
tobacco to China in the mid to late 16th Century.
Although it was commonly smoked in pipes,
snuff was also popular part due to the belief that
it possessed medicinal qualities and could
remedy colds, headaches, and other illnesses.
During the Qing Dynasty, smoking tobacco was
outlawed, leading to an increased prevalence of
snuff. What once began as a social ritual among
the upper classes of Beijing soon spread to all
classes of the population throughout the rest of
the country by the 18th century. Since snuff was
regarded as a medicine, it was carried around in
small bottles like other medicines. Eventually,
these bottles became objects of tremendous
artistry and beauty that proclaimed the status
and sophistication of their owners. While the use
of snuff withered away after the establishment of
the Republic of China, snuff bottles remain
incredibly desirable among contemporary
collectors of Chinese art due to their history,
tactility, and intricate beauty.
This coral and white colored cameo glass snuff
bottle depicts a crane standing upon a rock
rendered in low relief.
- (SP.499)
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