Chinese Pierce Carved Lapis Lazuli Snuff Bottle. Meticulously carved Chinese lapis lazuli snuff bottle featuring a deep blue hue with characteristic calcite inclusions, adorned with high-relief openwork depicting writhing chilong dragons encircling the body. On raised ovoid foot.

Size: 3 1/2 x 2 x 4 1/4 in. 

Chinese snuff bottles are small, finely crafted containers used to hold powdered tobacco (snuff), which became popular during the Qing Dynasty. Artisans made these bottles from a wide range of materials, including glass, porcelain, jade, and hard stones, often shaping and decorating them with intricate carvings, painted scenes, or inside-painted designs applied with a fine brush inserted through the neck. Snuff bottles are compact and typically fitted with a stopper and spoon for dispensing the powder, and they served both practical and artistic purposes as personal accessories carried by elites. Today, they are valued as collectibles that showcase exceptional craftsmanship and reflect Chinese culture, symbolism, and courtly life.

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