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Chinese Snuff Bottles

During the Qing Dynasty, the Chinese stored snuff in tightly sealed bottles. This resulted in a wealth of artistry in the design and decoration of the bottles. Including the remarkable art of painting pictures inside the bottle.  Using a tiny brush with hairs at right angles, inserted through the bottle's mouth. Even the simplest bottle takes a day to paint.  Miniature masterpieces.

Tobacco was introduced to China from the West in the late 16th-century, and was first smoked in pipes.  The Imperial Government forbid the habit to start with, but allowed the use of snuff because of its medicinal properties.  Taking a pinch of snuff was said to make the eyes bright; refresh; cure colds, head and stomach aches; and invigorate the blood circulation.  As with other Chinese medicines, it was stored in bottles, rather than boxes as in Europe.

They were made in glass, wood, jade, porcelain, ivory, and other stones.  Eventually in enormous quantity to meet an increasing market of collectors.  Starting from the rich Chinese in Beijing, to all social classes over the whole of China by the end of the 18th century.  This popularity faded after the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 - but today there is a new growing market of collectors around the world.

Legend holds that "inside-painted snuff bottles" originated by a failed Chinese businessman.  Lodging in a poor temple, with little money to feed his snuff addiction, he scraped  and scraped the inside of his snuff bottle.  The resulting markings on the glass then inspired a Buddhist monk to scrape a picture of bamboo inside another bottle.

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