A Ruby-Red Glass Snuff Bottle Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

Moss et al., 1996-2009, vol. 5, no. 770.

One chip from the inner footrim, partially polished. Air bubbles visible, one larger seen fairly centrally on one side. Tiny scratches to the surface, natural wear.
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This bottle belongs to a large group of bottles that are decorated by the lapidary only with ubiquitous mask-and-ring handles so popular at the Qing court. It has been suggested that  although this feature may appear on the product of any workshop in the country, it is typical of a very large number of imperial snuff bottles. The colour of the glass here suggests imperial provenance, particularly since this appears to be an early bottle, and the shape and size are also commensurate with eighteenth-century palace style. However, none of these indicators is conclusive evidence for an imperial attribution; they could just as well be a testament to the influence of courtly style on private production.

Although this borders on the miniature, it is typical of a range of small bottles that were apparently made at least from the Yongzheng period onwards. They would have held sufficient snuff to be entirely practical, especially at a time when fine snuff was still highly valued, not so readily available, and expensive.