The Things to Know About Snuff Bottles
If you are fond of snuff bottles, you should know that there will be an exhibit here in Singapore that will feature intricate Chinese snuff bottles. The exhibits already started on April 20, 2014 and it will continue for the next two weeks. It will be housed at Tian Fu Tea Room located in Beach Road, Singapore. You should head straight to the exhibits and marvel over snuff bottles.
Snuff bottles originated from China. It was seen during the Qing Dynasty. Snuff bottles only contain powdered tobacco. History tells us that smoking tobacco was forbidden during the Qing Dynasty but snuff bottles are acceptable because it is a good cure for common illnesses like stomach pains, headaches and colds. In Western culture, snuff bottles are similar to snuff box used by some Europeans.
If you are interested in snuff bottles, you can refer to the following things:
- Size and materials: Snuff bottles are very small that it can only fit inside your palm. It is made of different materials like metal, ceramic, porcelain, ivory, jade and wood. The most common material in making snuff bottle was glass.
- Symbolism: Chinese snuff bottles are intricately decorated. There are bottles that are hand-painted or hand-carved. The value of the bottles differs according to the decoration. Chinese use snuff bottles because it is a symbol of happiness and longevity. Dragons and horses are common animals depicted in snuff bottles. These animals symbolize speed, rank, wealth, power and perseverance.
There are still people who use snuff bottles but the large population goes to collectors. If you like to collect snuff bottles, you can go to the event mentioned above. You will surely enjoy it.