Vintage Snuff Bottle ‘Man with Dragon’

This snuff bottle was made in China around 1940 and 1960. The bottle is an off-white yellow color and on each side there is a man carrying a ball in his left hand and a dragon is depicted to his right. Above the man and the dragon are depicted Chinese characters. Presumably these constitute the artist’s signature of this bottle. Surrounding the glass is a metal mount of Miao silver.

Interior advice
This snuff bottle fits both a classic and a modern interior. For example, you can place it on a TV cabinet, (side) table or in a bookcase. Since the snuff bottle is not very big, 8 cm, it can also be placed in a terrarium (see portfolio), display case or under a glass bell.

About Snuff Bottles
Snuff bottles have enjoyed tremendous popularity among Asian and Western collectors from the time they were made in China in the early 18th century. Initially made for the emperor and his courtiers, demand grew as the rising middle class also wanted to surround themselves with status symbols such as the snuff bottle.
The major part of the Chinese population was not in favor of smoking tobacco. In contrast, people mixed snuff with herbs and spices because they believed in their medicinal powers. This was considered a remedy for migraines and it could even improve one’s ‘ vision’ and exorcise epidemic diseases. Because snuff was inhaled through the nose, it often caused one to sneeze, which was considered a means of expelling diseases and impurities.