History of Snuff Bottles

It is commonly believed that the snuff bottles were introduced into China by the western missionaries. The earliest reference of snuff bottles into China was dated 1684. The missionaries Johannes Gabiani and Johannes Valat greeted Emperor Kangxi and presented the emperor with four European manufactures. The emperor returned all items to the missionaries for their own uses except for the snuff bottles.

However, the snuff bottles in China actually emerged far earlier than 1684. The western snuff bottles were not suitable for the humid weather in China. As the snuff bottles were getting popular in China, the Chinese soon produced snuff bottles more suitable for the Chinese climates. The snuff bottles were being made in great quantity by the Imperial Workshops in around 1700. Still, there are many valuable collections made by the snuff bottle collector's communities.