snuff bottle, unknown maker from China

Archive Label 2003: Snuff bottles were invented in China during the early 17th century when snuff (ground tobacco often with aromatic substances added to it) was introduced from Europe. Snuff was popularized by the Manchu court at Peking in the north and had spread across China by the end of the 18th century. Snuff taking and snuff bottle collecting was common throughout the 19th century. Snuff bottles were made from glass, porcelain, enamelware, and semi-precious materials such as jade, amber, ivory, and chalcedony. This porcelain snuff bottle has goldfish in relief on the front and the back. In China goldfish in a secular context were symbols of fertility, wealth, and conjugal fidelity.