18c Antique RED CORAL FLOWER CARVING SNUFF BOTTLE

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What is a Netsuke?

A netsuke is a form of small sculpture which developed in Japan over a period of more than 300 years. Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The kimono, the traditional form of Japanese dress, had no pockets. Women would tuck small personal items into their sleeves, but men suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, purses or writing implements, on a silk cord, from their obi (sash). These hanging objects are called sagemono. To stop the cord from slipping through the obi, a small toggle was attached. The toggle is called Netsuke.

                                                                                                               What is a Snuff Bottle ?

Snuff is a kind of pharmaceutical preparation which the perfect ground tobacco powder is put into some rare medicinal Herb's-musk, etc. and sealed them into the wax pills and then staled for several different kinds of color, such as dark purple, deep yellow, pale yellow and so on. It tastes mellow and sharp . It is said that it can make eyes bright, refresh, exorcise epidemic disease, invigorate the circulation of blood. In the years of Wanli (Qing Dynasty), tobacco was circulated from America, Luzon to Fujian Province in China.

At the late 16th century the custom of tobacco-leave smoking and snuffing was spread from the Philippines to Japan by Portuguese and Spanish sailors, traders , missionaries. Tobacco was planted in the Japanese Imperial Garden and in the southern coastal trade ports. At the beginning of 17th century smoking is very popular in the upper-class, just like the tea, as an symbol of respecting guests. Then it spread to the Northeast China and Korea. Snuffing soon became a custom there. At the same time, Russia businessmen took tobacco, snuff and snuff boxes down to Northeast China and Inner-Mongolia.

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