Snuff Bottles

Snuff was introduced to China at the turn of the Ming and Ching Dynasties, and soon became fashionable in the Manchu court. To make it easier to carry, and to preserve its flavor, the Chinese produced an airtight bottle, which soon became an object of exquisite decoration.

The earliest snuff bottles were made of five-colored glass. Later, all kinds of raw materials, including gold, jade and other precious stones, porcelain, bamboo and wood were used to create elaborate designs. Carving, painting and inlaying techniques were used to complete the process.

During the peak of his power, Emperor Chien Lung, who was a great patron of the arts, ordered seven of his workshops to manufacture a wide range of snuff bottles. These eventually became treasures much sought after by the rich. The National Palace Museum in Taipei has a collection of about 500 snuff bottles dating from the reigns of Emperors Kang Hsi, Yung Cheng, Chien Lung and Chia Ching and covering the period of Chinese history from the 17th up to the mid-18th century.