Tortoishell Snuff Bottle

B66

Glass, the pale yellow glass with patches of pale brown, grey and black throughout; the flattened rectangular form with rounded, high shoulders.

Chinese, 1720-1800
Stopper: Brown quartz
Provenance: Hugh Moss Ltd, London, 1976
Height: 5.3cm

This is another early glass snuff bottles, probably made to imitate tortoiseshell, with its realistic patches controlled by the glass blower to achieve the effect. There are real tortoiseshell snuff bottles, but very few old ones.