Chinese Snuff Bottles

Chinese snuff bottles, only a couple inches in height, are pieces of art that once held powdered tobacco as a remedy for headaches, stomachaches, and other ailments. These small bottles can be made from glass, jade, ivory, ceramic, and metal, among other materials. The more intricately and beautifully decorated the bottle, the higher status or rank of the owner in historical China.

Due to the humid climate of China, snuff would normally stick together and become a solid block in a container that was not fully sealed. Realizing this, Emperor Kangxi commissioned the creation of beautifully hand-decorated medicine bottles with well-fitted lids during the Qing Dynasty. Since then, the popularity of these snuff bottles grew and snuff bottles became synonymous with aristocracy.

Quick Facts

• Influenced by the Jesuit society, the Chinese made many beautiful glass snuff bottles, but later opted for more durable materials like jade or coral since glass tended to shatter during the bitter-cold winters
• Since the 1920s, snuff has not been in use. Despite this, Chinese snuff bottles continue to be in production and are common collector's items to be proudly displayed
• During the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods, the Jesuits taught Chinese artisans to enamel on metal or glass. These snuff bottles thus had very Western themes, and are today very rare and sought after