Cobalt Blue Bulbous Snuff Bottle with Translucent Amber Stopper and Base

Small, airtight snuff bottles were created in China after Jesuit missionaries introduced powdered tobacco in the mid 17th century. They were designed to better suit the humid climate than the snuff boxes common in Europe. As snuff-taking became a fashionable pastime, the bottles evolved into elaborate accessories which today are collectors’ items. 
 
Most of our collection, like this piece, are not particularly elaborate however and after consulting an appraiser, we confirmed such visiting antique shops where common looking snuff bottles were not selling for very much. Only two of ours were singled out for a higher price. This was not one of them.
 
We believe this bottle is made out of thick glass. The translucent amber colored stopper top, which we believe is original, is gorgeous. The base of the bottle is also translucent although there are white crystals or another substance that shows through the ‘window’. There are two cracks in the white strip on the stopper (one shown in photos). The spoon, which may be bone, has hardened dirt on it. 
 
We believe our grandmother inherited this from the Burr sisters who visited China in the 1920s and 1930s. It appears never used for anything other than decorative purposes.
 
H 1 7/8” x L 1 3/8” x D 1 3/8”
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.