Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 9. (Budapest, 1966)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Polonyi, Péter: Some Inside-Painted Chinese Snuff Bottles

Fig. 1. Cho Lo-yüan: Inside-painted snuff bottle from 1877 ( ?) (No. 762) (front) Fig. 2. Chou Lo-yüan: Inside-painted snuff bottle from 1877 ( ?) (No. 762) (back) of their evolution. One of the earliest commentators of snuff bottles, Huish has described its use in 1896 on the columns of ,,The Studio" as follows: „As the Chinese have no pocket the bottle is either carried ostentatiously in the hand, wrapped in a handkerchief, or more usually, in a silk or satin purse, made like our old-fashioned long ring purses, with a slit in the middle. The bottle goes into one end of this and the cash into the other, and it is usually tucked through the girdle, the ends hanging down. Snuff is taken out of the bottle with the spoon attached to the stopper, it is then placed in the palm of the hand and thence robbed into nostrils and over the Hp. Upon an introduction taking place snuff bottles are either exchanged, or if there be only one, it is handed to the other, who takes a little out or smells and returns it. In handing the bottle it is placed between the palms of the two hands and advanced to the person with a bow".

11 Thus, the bottle served for the storage of the amount of 11 Marcus B. Huish : A Little Appreciated Side of Art, Chinese Snuff Bottles. (The Studio. Vol. VIII. pp. 11 — 16. Jun. 1896.) The movements of taking snuff can be readily observed on the portrait of Emperor Tao-kuang. (Ch'ing tai ti-hou hsiang. IV. pi. 10.) According to the kind verbal communication of Tibor Horváth, snuff bottles still used in the Popular Republic of Mongolia are hidden in the upper part of the gown that is pinned down with the felt.