8 replies to this topic

[Liu]

Hello,

Yesterday, I bought at a secondhand goods dealer's this quite small ceramic phial which is a little damaged on both sides. I don't know about its use, is it a phial that contained perfume or tabacco ?

Can you please confirm its use and give me an idea of its dating ?

On it, is it written the second part of the chengyu: 鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利


It is nice, isn't it ?

Thank you,
Liu

[kaiselin]

That is a snuff jar.

[Kimchee]

Yes, I have a collection of snuff bottles, myself. The ones that amaze me are the glass ones that are painted from the inside... such a small opening to fit the paint brush!!

 10232.jpg   18.21K   5 downloads

There is usually a little spoon that is attached to the inside of the cap... just enough snuff to make you sneeze! Ha Ha.

From Wikipedia:

Snuff bottles were used by the Chinese to contain powdered tobacco during the Qing Dynasty. Smoking tobacco was illegal during the Dynasty, but the use of snuff was allowed because the Chinese considered snuff to be a remedy for common illnesses such as colds, headaches and stomach disorders. Therefore, snuff was carried in a small bottle like other medicines. Snuff bottle are comparable to the snuff box used by Europeans.

Tobacco was introduced to the court at Beijing some time during the mid to late 16th century. It was originally smoked in pipes before the establishment of the Qing Dynasty. The use of snuff and snuff bottles spread through the upper class, and by the end of the 17th century it had become a part of social ritual to use snuff. This lasted through most of the 18th century. Eventually, the trend spread into the rest of the country and into every social classe. It was common to offer a pinch of snuff as a way to greet friends and relatives. Snuff bottles soon became an object of beauty and a way to represent status. The highest status went to whomever had the rarest and finest snuff bottle. The peak of snuff bottle manufacture was during the 18th century.

The use of snuff increased and decreased with the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty and died away soon after the establishment of the Republic of China. However, replica snuff bottles are still being made, and can be purchased in souvenir shops, flea markets and museum gift shops. Original snuff bottles from the Qing period are a desirable target for serious collectors and museums. A good bottle has an extra quality over and above its exquisite beauty and value: that is touch. Snuff bottles were made to be held and so, as a rule, they have a wonderful tactile quality, a ravishing subtlety we are, ironically, unable to experience as the best bottles are carefully locked in museum cases or in connoisseur’s collections. But even some of the more accessible bottles give an indication of this remarkable characteristic.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Snuff_bottle

Kimchee

Edited by Kimchee, 14 September 2007 - 09:15 AM.

[Pattie]

Quick aside...

I was amazed to learn (quite recently too) that snuff came in 'flavors.' I always assumed it was tobacco with something like ginger in it to make you sneeze and have learned differently: http://en.wikipedia....Snuff_(tobacco)

Live and learn ^__^

[Liu]

Thank you all.
I learnt a lot about these snuff bottles.
Would be interesting to see pictures of your snuff bottles collection Kimchee !

[kaiselin]

Yes, I have a collection of snuff bottles, myself. The ones that amaze me are the glass ones that are painted from the inside... such a small opening to fit the paint brush!!

 10232.jpg   18.21K   5 downloads

Kimchee

Very nice bottle Kimchee,
I too have a small collection of snuff bottles.

To paint the inside of your bottle, the "brush would be a stiff hair or a whisker to allow the artist to use the natural flex of the hair to reach areas that a traditional brush could not reach
This takes a long time because not only are you straining your eyes, and having to paint the foreground before painting the background, you also have to paint the characters backwards.
To add to the difficulty a single hair does not hold much paint or ink as a multi haired normal brush , so you can only paint the smallest bits at a time, even dealing with painting in miniature, it is amazing how often you have to re-dip the hair into the paint.
Oh yes and don't forget you must have a hand that is not shaky.

[Liu]

Thank you Kaiselin that's amazing and interesting.

By the way, what is the Chinese name for these snuff bottles ?

[Kimchee]

Quick aside...

I was amazed to learn (quite recently too) that snuff came in 'flavors.' I always assumed it was tobacco with something like ginger in it to make you sneeze and have learned differently: http://en.wikipedia....Snuff_(tobacco)

Live and learn ^__^

I didn't know that it came in "flavors" either... but when you think about it... your sense of taste is actually from your sense of smell.

Quick story... my boyfriend at the time (who later became my husband) used to chew tobacco. He was in the Marine Corps and I guess that was the macho thing to do. Ha Ha. Anyway, my girl friend and I were sitting in his living room and he left the tin of chewing tobacco on the coffee table. We both looked at each other and decided to try just a little bit... afterall it smelled so sweet and delicious. I put a little eency weency grain of it on my tongue and she did the same... then AAAAAARGH!! Suddenly, it burned and numbed my mouth and it tasted so bad! We both ran to the bathroom to spit it out, only we were both struggling and trying to fit through the door at the same time! IT WAS HORRIBLE! How could anyone chew that stuff??? Awful!! Aaack! Gaaack!! The thought of it makes me sick even now!

Kimchee

[kaiselin]

Thank you Kaiselin that's amazing and interesting.

By the way, what is the Chinese name for these snuff bottles ?

someone please correct me if I am wrong, but this is what I found for snuff:
鼻 烟 bí yān =snuff

Knowing the way things are made much more flowery in the Chinese language,
I would not be surprised if there is some much more interesting answer then
nose smoke bottle.

As a slight aside, Back in the late 60s, 69 and 70 there was an attempt to revive the popularity of using snuff.
Knew a few kids that did it a lot. I tried it a couple of times, but it didn't do anything for me.
I don't really get off on sneezing. Reminds me too much of the bombastic sneezes you get when cottonwood trees and ragweed are in season.
While admittedly a good sneeze can be gratifying, it is not my thing. The craze never caught on the way it did in previous eras

Edited by kaiselin, 14 September 2007 - 02:00 PM.