Do you take snuff?

Were I to find myself suddenly, unexpectedly and fabulously rich then I would become a serious collector of Chinese snuff bottles. Chance would be a fine thing!

Snuff bottles were used by the Chinese during the Qing Dynasty, 1644 to 1912 AD. During that time the smoking of tobacco was illegal, but snuff (powdered tobacco) could be used as a remedy for common illnesses such as colds, headaches and stomach disorders. Consequently, snuff was carried in a small bottle like other medicines.

Snuff bottles were made out of many different materials including porcelain, jade, ivory, wood, tortoiseshell, metal and ceramic, though probably the most commonly used material was glass. Chinese snuff bottles were typically decorated with paintings or carvings and the stopper usually has a very small spoon attached for extracting the snuff.

This clear and green glass snuff bottle is an example of inside painting. Such bottles have pictures, and often calligraphy, painted on the inside surface of the glass by manipulating the brush through the neck of the bottle which is usually only a quarter of an inch across. They are also painted in reverse!

The detail is best seen through a lens.

Should you wish to see some seriously beautiful and eye-wateringly valuable bottles, then this is the place to look.