Ivory snuff bottle

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Snuff - the powdered form of tobacco - was kept in a small bottle. This is a fine ivory snuff bottle of cylindrical form.

Carved around the sides in relief are the Eight Immortals. There is a spoon fixed to the stopper, and after snuffing, it was returned to the flask.

Snuff taking was considered to be medicinal and health-giving. It gained both court and popular acceptance in Qing China. Snuffing was extremely popular in the court of the Kangxi emperor. It later spread to the south to become a nationwide habit.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-103-451-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1967.449
• Date: 19th century
  19th century AD
  
• Material: Ivory
  Snuff bottle
  
• Dimensions: 82 mm H x 45 mm W x 35 mm D
  
• What: Snuff bottle
  
• Subject: Snuff bottles
  
• Who: Eight Taoist Immortals
  
• Where: China
  
• Event:
• Description: Snuff bottle of ivory, carved in fine relief with scenes of the Eight Taoist Immortals: China, 19th century AD
  
• References:
• Translations:
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