Glass, jade, wood
China, 20th century, signed and dated ‘Jiwei’
Signature ‘Cheng Yun’ and a seal on front side
Excellent piece
Flattened ovoid shape with an oval foot
Fine inside painting with the depiction of playing boys
Stopper of jade
Height with stopper: 7 cm
Good condition
Provenance: Private collection Munich
Elegant snuff bottle with precise, lively interior painting

This lovely Chinese snuff bottle was made of glass in the 20th century - signed and dated ‘Jiwei’. The bottle stands on an oval foot and has a flattened, ovoid shape. The stopper consists of jade and the thereto attached spoon was made of wood. The wall is decorated with a revolving inside painting. Depicted are playing boys with different attributes or while eating. Bamboo stalks frame the figures on the sides and a naturalistic landscaped ground completes the vivid and precise interior painting which is of high artistic quality. The signature‘Cheng Yun’ and a seal can be found in the left upper edge on front side.



This snuff bottle is in good condition with only slight signs of age and wear. The height with closure measures 7 cm´.



Chinese Snuff bottles

Chinese snuff bottles were used to store snuff tobacco powder. Besides this function, they were also decorative and served as a representative symbol of status. The small masterpieces reveal great craftsmanship and were made from various materials such as glass, porcelain, jade, quartz, ivory, coral, lacquer, amber or wood.



In the late 16th century, tobacco was imported to China from Europe and was initially smoked in pipes. The use as snuff began only after the start of the Qing dynasty in 1644. During this time, smoking tobacco was forbidden, whereas the use of snuff as a remedy for common illnesses like colds, headaches or stomach trouble, was accepted. At first, snuff was only accessible to the elites of the dynastic household, but towards the end of the 17th century it became popular at the Beijing court and developed into a social ritual among the upper classes. By the end of the late 18th century, this trend had spread to the rest of the country, permeating all social strata. It was considered polite to offer a pinch of snuff to friends on the street or house guests. As a result, the elaborately made Snuff bottles were constantly hand-held and display softly rounded edges. The great popularity of snuff found its peak during the Qing dynasty and ended after the revolution and subsequent foundation of the republic in 1911.

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.