Jade with apple green veining
China, c. 1900
Vase shape
Wide mouth with a straight lip
Recessed base with an oval, high foot rim
One side with a relief depiction of a Fo lion with brocade ball between rocks and ruyi elements, the other side with a squirrel among branches
The neck is ornate with large leaves
The sides have adorned with open worked handles
Stopper of jade with a knob in the shape of a Fo lion
Height of the bottle with stopper: 14.5 cm
Width of the mouth: 3.6 cm
Width of the neck: 4.5 cm
Good condition
Estimate by Auctionata Expert: 3.000 Euro

Condition:

The snuff bottle is in good condition with only slight signs of age and wear such as small chips and traces of glue on the stopper. The height of the bottle with stopper is c. 14.5 cm. The width of the mouth measures 3.6 cm and the width of the neck is 4.5 cm.

Chinese Snuff bottles

Chinese snuff bottles were used to store snuff tobacco powder. Besides this purpose, they were also decorative objects which served as status symbols. Often they were small masterpieces, showing fine craftsmanship in various materials such as glass, porcelain, jade, quartz, ivory, coral, lacquer, amber and wood.

Tobacco was imported to China from Europe in the late 16th century and was initially smoked in pipes. The use as snuff began at the outset of the Qing dynasty in 1644, when smoking tobacco was prohibited, whereas snuff was seen as a remedy for common illness: colds, headaches or stomach aches. At first, snuff was only accessible to the elites of the dynastic households, but towards the end of the 17th century it became popular at the Beijing court and developed into a social ritual among the upper classes. By the end of the late 18th century, this trend had spread to the rest of the country and permeated all social strata. It was considered polite to offer a pinch of snuff to friends on the street or to house guests. As a result, elaborate Snuff bottles were constantly being held and passed around, slowly rounding the edges from wear. The popularity of snuff reached its apex in the Qing dynasty, ebbing with the revolution and the founding of the Chinese republic in 1912.

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