Snuff bottles were created as objects of personal pleasure. No matter whether they were used as containers of snuff (the powered form of tobacco) or enjoyed as collectors' items, they were made for close handling and appreciation.
This glass snuff bottle is painted on one side with a boy riding a buffalo.
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.
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