SELECTED SNUFF BOTTLES FROM THE COLLECTION OF KENNETH GREENSTEIN

About the Collector

Ken Greenstein is a New York attorney, recently retired as a partner from the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP in Manhattan. He has been a long time collector of Chinese Snuff Bottles and Scholars Objects. In Ken's mind both collections are closely tied together. This is why he has always tried to acquire bottles which would have attracted Chinese scholars, systematically searching in particular for those characterized by simplicity of forms, materials or colors. Since 1985 Ken has purchased numerous snuff bottles from Asiantiques. Throughout the years he has grown to become a good friend and a great collector.

A brief introduction to Chinese snuff bottles
Chinese snuff bottles are the equivalent to snuff boxes in Europe and were manufactured throughout the entire Qing dynasty (1644-1912). Tobacco was brought to China by the Europeans from the Americas at the end of the 16th century and the first part of the 17th century. Tobacco ground into a very fine powder, known as snuff, and eventually enhanced with flowers, spices or herbs (mint, jasmine, camphor, roses, etc.), was sniffed into the nostrils. Its use seems to have spread slowly during the last part of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century but developed tremendously after Emperor Qianlong (1736-1796) declared it fashionable for himself and for his court.

The Chinese, even more than the Europeans, believed that tobacco inhaled in the form of snuff had medicinal qualities and could cure colds, indigestion or other illnesses. Emperor Qianlong took snuff for his headaches. The Chinese therefore first used medicinal bottles to store the snuff. Furthermore, The European snuff boxes were unfit because the warm and humid climate in China caused the snuff to cake and lose its fine texture. Those medicinal bottles were first adapted by adding a small spoon attached to the cork and the top for measuring a small amount of snuff.

Progressively the shape of the bottles (cylindrical at first) evolved into many different types as their size was adapted to their uses. Men would carry regular bottles (mostly 2 1/2" to 3 1/4"), ladies would have small bottles (1 1/4" to 2 1/4") and table bottles would reach up to 5" or 6". Some people liked to carry twin bottles and, but rarely, multiple bottles in order to enjoy various aromas. Snuff developed into a habit mainly appreciated by the emperor and his courtesans. Therefore, the snuff bottles soon became small, precious objects and their use gave way to the development of a very precise "etiquette" for taking and sniffing the tobacco, as well as which type of bottle to use at what precise time. Jade and porcelain were used in winter, glass and agate in spring, bamboo in summer and so on. The snuff bottles were also used as gifts or to buy favors of officials.

The production of snuff bottles was done by workshops, some of which, using the most skilled workers, were established in the imperial palace by Emperor Kangxi and his successors, Emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong. Several workers were involved in the production of a snuff bottle. The apprentices would cut the stone and start to shape the bottle; specialists would hollow the cavity (a very important task), then others would polish it. The most skilled workers were the ones who would create the decoration. Almost any material was used, from the most precious, like jade, to the most modest, like bamboo. Glass was a prime material for the manufacture of snuff bottles. It was either molded, blown or carved. It was appreciated both for itself and for its capacity to imitate other materials, such as precious or semi-precious stones.

Jadeite and nephrite snuff bottles are among the most desirable. At first the Chinese were very satisfied with glass and stone bottles and it is only during the Jiaqing reign (1796-1820) at the beginning of the 19th century that the production of porcelain bottles developed and probably reached its peak. The production was interrupted after 1912 but started again, as is officially acknowledged, in mainland China after 1949.