A superbly hand painted enameled snuff bottle from Beijing, China, with a coral stopper surmounted by a pearl, marked in cobalt with Chien Lung period Chinese characters on the bottom, overall approx. 2-5/8"H x 1-3/4"W x 1"D. The minutely detailed and shaded paintings enameled in colors over white on the sides depict happy women and children in garden settings, above and below which are finely painted designs in coral color enamel. The top lip and the footrim are gold.
By most terms of history in China, snuff bottles are a relatively recent development. Tobacco reached China toward the end of the 16th Century. Similar in time to its introduction into England. When tobacco was converted into snuff is hard to say but by the mid seventeenth century seems to be likely. Customs records document that by 1685 snuff was entering China although it possibly may have been in use prior to that date. Snuff, however, did not come into common usage and was largely a habit of the upper classes. The Jesuits introduced its use at court and soon it became increasingly common among the court, rich landlords and merchants. The Chinese believed that snuff possessed medicinal qualities and that its use helped to dispel colds, cure migraine, sinus and tooth pain, relieve throat trouble, cause sweats and counter asthma and constipation. Snuff was believed to be particularly an aid to digestion. Beijing was always the center of snuff usage in China. The Hsiang tsu pi chi, a document written in the early 18th Century, notes that snuff was being manufactured in Beijing at this time. Mint, camphor and Jasmine were and still are added to snuff in China.
1,000/2,000
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