{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O8546"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O8546/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW3661/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW3661/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MW3661","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BF5907","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O8546/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O8546","accessionNumber":"C.1877&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":"The bottle is an oblong flattened flask form with a dome-shaped stopper.                      \r\nIt is made of chalcedony, grey with brown skin and inclusions, with carved decoration. \r\nThe stopper is made of a dark stone, possibly tourmaline.\r\nThe carved decoration depicts a cock and cockscomb plant. On the reverse ther are eight water birds, a bat and a magic fungus.\r\nThe foot has an angular indentation underneath.\r\nThe skin is carved in relief to form the cock and the cockscomb plant. On the reverse the tiny brown inclusions are used for the eyes of the birds.  The cock <font i>ji</font> and cockscomb <font i>guan</font> together form a pun or rebus, <font i>Guan shang jia guan</font>, or '[May] rank [be] added upon rank', a wish for continuous promotion.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021MW3661","2006BF5907"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES363113"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES363113"},"free":"","case":"","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":"1750-1880","earliest":"1750-01-01","latest":"1880-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"5.9","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.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Scu, China, carving, chalcedony","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"White, Helen. <font -u>Snuff Bottles from China</font>. London: Bamboo Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 291p., ill. ISBN 1870076109."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"cock (bird)","id":"x30202"},{"text":"bird","id":"x35043"},{"text":"magic fungus","id":"x36035"},{"text":"bat (animal)","id":"x30092"},{"text":"cockscomb plant","id":"x36065"},{"text":"公雞","id":"CIT283931"},{"text":"雞冠花","id":"CIT283976"},{"text":"吉祥語","id":"CIT0286240"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["C.1877-1910","C.1877A-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"1877","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Snuff bottle","Stopper"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-29","recordCreationDate":"1998-07-24","availableToBook":true}}