{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O8627"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O8627/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV0739/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV0739/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AV0739","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O8627/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O8627","accessionNumber":"C.1755&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 a small oblong flattened flask form with shoulders sloping up to a short cylindrical neck. It is made of chalcedony, grey with dark brown inclusions. \r\nThe stopper is of gilded metal  with small pieces of purple kingfisher feather inset and floral motifs radiating from the centre.\r\nThe decoration depicts a galloping horseman holding a banner in one hand; the banner bears the character <font i>ling</font>.\r\nThe foot has an indentation underneath.\r\nThis bottle is an excellent example of the use of inclusions in a 'silhouette' technique, producing vivid and expressive pictorial decoration.  The decoration may represent the phrase <font i>Ma shang ping an</font> meaning 'Immediate peace' or 'Immediate report that all is well'  (<font i>Zhongguo Jixiang Tu'an</font>, [Chinese auspicious emblems], (reprint of 1927 edition published in Tianjin, Gu Ting Shu Shu, 1978).","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved chalcedony, with a stopper of gilded metal inset with small pieces of purple kingfisher feather","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"},{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AV0739"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA65","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA65","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":"1800-1850","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"4.4","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":"Snuff bottle, carved chalcedony, China, first half of 19th century.","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":"horse (animal)","id":"x30117"},{"text":"men","id":"AAT25928"},{"text":"banner","id":"AAT195679"},{"text":"男人","id":"CIT288762"},{"text":"騎馬","id":"CIT288811"},{"text":"坐騎","id":"CIT287853"},{"text":"馬","id":"CIT284229"},{"text":"執持","id":"CIT282802"},{"text":"令旗","id":"CIT290122"},{"text":"奔跑 (動物)","id":"CIT0288689"},{"text":"冠","id":"CIT281574"},{"text":"袍","id":"CIT289580"},{"text":"籠頭","id":"CIT0293735"},{"text":"繮繩","id":"CIT0293736"},{"text":"鞍具","id":"CIT283567"},{"text":"吉祥語","id":"CIT0286240"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["C.1755-1910","C.1755A-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"1755","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","SNUFF BOTTLE","STOPPER"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-29","recordCreationDate":"1998-07-29","availableToBook":false}}