Snuff bottle with magpies on a plum tree

Snuff Bottles

The Chinese specially designed bottles to hold snuff—a preparation of powdered tobacco enhanced with spices that is made to be inhaled. Introduced to the Qing court by Europeans in the late 1600s, snuff taking became an imperial habit, and many bottles were produced for the court. Besides clearing one’s sinuses, snuff was also believed to relieve headaches, and by the early nineteenth century its inhalation had become a widespread practice in China. Early examples were simple in form, but by the late 1700s medicinal bottles had evolved into beautiful works of art that were viewed as collectors’ items. The appeal of these bottles to collectors continues to this day.

Snuff bottles are a reflection of Chinese art in miniature form. They are especially rich in Chinese symbols because, as objects carried on one’s person, they reflect the sentiments of their owners. Their decorations frequently symbolize the owner’s wishes for blessings, numerous offspring, wealth and rank, and longevity.