Chinese Porcelain Snuff Bottle - Blue 4

Chinese snuffbox made of Porcelain:

- Chinese snuff box made of porcelain hand painted.
- The top of this snuffbox can be removed, in order to introduce tobacco.
- Chinese snuffboxes are not like European snuffboxes. These are vials to protect the tobacco from moisture. The Chinese quickly started using tobacco. They made snuffboxes to store and transport tobacco.

The difference between Chinese and European snuffboxes:

- The Chinese snuffboxes have a bottle shape and are closed by a cap, which differentiates them from European snuffboxes which are boxes closed by a lid.
- Chinese snuffboxes are equipped with a small spatula in extension of the cap which is used to take the tobacco without using his fingers, and thus protect it from moisture.
- Their size has been studied to fit easily in the hand.

The history of Chinese snuffboxes:

- Tobacco appeared in China in the 17th century and was first smoked with pipes. Then, after the conquest of the country by the Manchu who established the Qing Dynasty in 1644, the Chinese began snuffing tobacco.
- This practice was considered good for health, which explains why tobacco was kept in vials, like other drugs or herbs.
- Chinese snuffboxes were worn in the back of the sleeve or in a silk bag at the waist.
- It was under the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty that snuff was democratized, resulting in increased use of snuffboxes. Previously, this practice was reserved for elites, in other words, scholars, high officials, the court and the emperor.
- Snuff has really spread throughout China during the eighteenth century. The first imperial snuffboxing workshops were started under the Qing, under the leadership of Emperor Kangxi, and developed during the reign of Emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong. Snuffboxes were then made of porcelain and other materials.