{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O8133"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O8133/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU9245/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU9245/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU9245","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O8133/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O8133","accessionNumber":"C.1639&A-1910","objectType":"Snuff bottle","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. The habit of snuff-taking spread to China from the West during the 17th century and became established in the 18th century. People generally carried snuff in a small bottle. By the 20th century these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.","physicalDescription":"Snuff bottle, oval flattened flask with cylindrical neck made of white-tinged transparent glass with an overlay of carved red glass. Decorated with a catfish on its back on a lotus leaf, with a lotus pod and flower. Similar design on reverse; lotus bud and a small fish on one shoulder, lotus leaf on the other shoulder. Small flat oval base overlaid with a large radiating lotus leaf. Dome-shaped coral stopper set in gilded metal.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"}],"techniques":[{"text":"overlay","id":"x44393"},{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Overlay carved glass","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"},{"text":"Glass","id":"THES48946"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AU9245"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA48","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA48","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Snuff bottle","id":""}],[{"text":"Stopper","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1800-1900","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"6.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.\nThe Chinese word for fish, <i>yu</i>, makes a pun on the word for overflowing abundance, the word for catfish, <i>nian</i>, on the word for year, and the word for lotus,<font i> lian</font>, on the word for continuous or successive. <i>He bao</i>, meaning 'lotus parcel' or 'lotus enwrapped', is also a sort of purse.  Therefore the bottle carries a wish for wealth and prosperity for many years to come.;;","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Snuff bottle, overlay carved glass, China, Qing dynasty, 19th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"White, Helen. <u>Snuff Bottles from China</u>. London: Bamboo Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. pp. 190-191, plate 87."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"catfish","id":"x30089"},{"text":"lotus","id":"AAT165258"},{"text":"fish","id":"x30068"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Snuff bottle  \r\nQing dynasty\r\n1800-1900\r\n\r\nIn Chinese, 'fish' is a homophone for 'abundance' and 'lotus' is a pun on 'continuous'. This bottle carries a wish for wealth and prosperity over many years to come.\r\n\r\nOverlay carved glass\r\n\r\nSalting Bequest\r\nMuseum no. C.1639-1910","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}},{"text":"C.1639-1910\r\nOval flattened flask form with shoulders sloping up to a cylindrical neck; dome-shaped stopper set in gilded metal.\r\nGlass, transparent with a white tinge, with overlay of red glass partly cut away.\r\nCatfish on its back on lotus leaf, with lotus pod and flower; similar design on reverse; on one shoulder lotus bud and a small fish; lotus leaf on the other shoulder; large lotus leaf radiates up from base of bottle and it is this on which the fish rest.\r\nThe word for fish (yu) makes a pun on the word for overflowing abundance, the word for catfish (nian) on the word for year, and the word for lotus (lian) on the word for continuous or successive; moreover a 'he bao' (lotus parcel or lotus enwrapped) is a sort of purse.\r\nSmall flat oval base formed by overlay in form of central part of lotus leaf.\r\n1750-1910\r\nH. 6.3 cm\r\nSalting Bequest.","date":{"text":"pre 2005","earliest":null,"latest":"2004-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["C.1639-1910","C.1639A-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"1639","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Snuff bottle","Stopper"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"1998-06-30","availableToBook":false}}